A love affair between two musicians spans six decades and numerous
countries and political regimes in this animated romantic drama. In
1948, Chico (voice of
Eman Xor Ona)
is a hotshot jazz pianist living in Havana, where his reputation as a
ladies' man nearly outshines his talent at the keyboard. One night,
Chico sees Rita (voice of
Limara Meneses)
singing "Love for Sale" at a nightclub, and it's love at first sight,
though Rita is put off by the fact Chico already has a steady girl.
However, when Chico backs Rita during a talent competition held at a
Havana radio station, she realizes they're musically simpatico, and her
heart soon follows her creative instincts. But after a quarrel with
Chico, Rita is approach by Ron, an American talent scout who says he can
make her a star, and she takes him up on the offer, traveling with him
to New York. Not wanting to lose Rita, Chico and his best friend Ramon
head to New York City, but as Rita achieves fame and fortune in the
United States, Chico finds the limelight is keeping them apart, and
after returning to Cuba, the island's unstable political climate proves
even better than Ron at keeping him away from Rita.
Chico y Rita (aka
Chico and Rita) was a collaboration between filmmaker and music producer
Fernando Trueba, artist and designer
Javier Mariscal, and animator and director
Tono Errando, and features cartoon "cameo appearances" from a number of legendary jazz artists, including Charlie Parker,
Dizzy Gillespie, and Chano Pozo.
