Fait vivir

Fait vivir lies somewhere between travel and immersion, from Quebec to Colombia, alongside the Gypsy Kumbia Orchestra. Whether or not one is familiar with GKO, the film warmly draws viewers into their artistic universe, where music and dance unfold through a theatrical, colorful, and circus-like staging. From stage performances to street shows, the orchestra’s magic comes alive on screen. The film also opens a window onto the reality of life on tour with this musical community packed into a bus: group discussions and decision-making, artistic rehearsals, local encounters, unexpected events, and more. By following GKO, we get a glimpse of the intensity and sparks that such an experience can generate.

The filmmaker assembles a series of moments to create a narrative that alternates between spectacle and everyday life, cinematic performance and direct cinema. The Spanish narration, told from a child’s perspective, becomes a unifying creative device. It resonates as a voice of discovery and transmission. The child recounts the spirit of the two families that surround them: their parents and the orchestra. The film becomes a testimony of a moment in time for this artistic collective. Take a moment and set off on a journey with the Gypsy Kumbia Orchestra.

Stéphanie Lessard-Bérubé
Documentary filmmaker and cultural mediator