Synopsis

Celia the Queen is a touching documentary about the life and legacy of a stellar performer who brought the sound of salsa to the whole world. She erupted onto the Cuban music scene as the front woman of ‘La Sonora Matancera’, and soon became Cuba’s most adored. Her trademark cry ‘Azucar’ became known across Latin America. And when she fled Castro’s Cuba in 1960 and eventually arrived in the United States, she started a second even more successful career fueled by her partnerships with salsa greats Tito Puente, Willie Colon, and Johnny Pacheco. Ironically, while she became known as the voice of Cuba around the world, her once beloved music was banned in her home country. Celia was performing up until her death in 2003. Directors Joe Cardona and Mario de Varona use original photography shot while following Celia during the last five years of her life as well as archival footage of both Celia and her loving husband, Pedro Knight, to tell the inspiring story of a little girl from Havana who became an international diva. Celia the Queen shows the diversity of the people whose lives she touched, from the big stars of music, literature and film like Quincy Jones, Andy Garcia and Wyclef Jean to fans all over the world. This documentary presents Celia as the warm, strong, free spirit who adored her fans and earned without question her title: ‘the Queen’. ​

Directors

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  • Joe Cardona
  • Joe Cardona is of Cuban-Puerto Rican descent, born in 1967. He graduated in 1989 with a degree in Communications and tried various professions such as teaching and sports broadcasting before deciding to pursue filmmaking. Mario de Varona, also of Cuban descent, was born in 1969 in San Antonio. He studied Communications at the University of Florida and worked for the Univision network for three years before deciding to make films based on his own story. The two met in the early 1990s, founded Kids in Exiles Films, and have made over ten documentary films together.

• 
  • Mario de Varona
  • Joe Cardona is of Cuban-Puerto Rican descent, born in 1967. He graduated in 1989 with a degree in Communications and tried various professions such as teaching and sports broadcasting before deciding to pursue filmmaking. Mario de Varona, also of Cuban descent, was born in 1969 in San Antonio. He studied Communications at the University of Florida and worked for the Univision network for three years before deciding to make films based on his own story. The two met in the early 1990s, founded Kids in Exiles Films, and have made over ten documentary films together.​