The documentary “Celso Piña: El Rebelde del Acordeon (Celso Piña: The Accordion Rebel)” was screened at the closure of the 7th Hola Mexico Film Festival held on May 22 in Downtown LA.
The film tells the story of Celso Piña’s rise from the slums of Monterrey, Mexico to worldwide recognition as a pioneer in mixing traditional accordion with modern sounds. The documentary also shows how Celso Piña’s music was once marginalized and deemed synonymous with gangs by the musical elite.
At the screening, Celso stated that the idea for the film came from its producers who went to see Celso’s show at the Zocalo in Mexico City. Liking what they saw (and heard), they began to explore the idea with the artist and his record company. Celso’s family, who is widely featured in the film, was also a deciding party.
Celso Piña is one of those artists that collaborate with musicians from various genres. On the Latin Alternative level alone, he’s collaborated with DJ Mexican Dubwiser, Café Tacuba, El Gran Silencio, Santa Sabina, and Resorte. “It refreshes my music and style,” said the singer about his collaborations. “I’ve been working with artists from different musical genres and nationalities for years and my next album will also have more surprises.” Celso Piña’s upcoming album will see its studio time in the upcoming months.
On the same night of the film screening, Celso also headlined the closing festivities with a show that was nothing short of his well-known, feel-good attack on cumbias. With his band by his side and with his usual humility, he thanked the fans for their ongoing support and invited them to go on stage and dance.
A few of the crowd favorites that were performed that night were “Cumbia Sobre El Rio”, “Aunque No Sea Conmigo” and “Los Caminos De La Vida”. Needless to say, with a talent of such caliber, the Hola Mexico Film Festival closed on the highest note possible.
