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THE TANGO SALON
LA CONFITERIA IDEAL
Argentina remains in deep political, social and economic crisis after the government froze all bank accounts in 2001. The lives of millions of citizens have been hit really hard and no end to their problems is in sight. But, amidst the turmoil, the passion for tango is growing, no more so than at one unique salon in the heart of Buenos Aires – La
Confiteria Ideal.

This film visits the Confiteria to observe the world of tango and to meet some of the people for whom it is not just a dance but a way of life – an escape, an addiction, a love affair. The dancing is elegant, mesmerising, tinged with an indelible melancholy : the stories are proud, touching and uplifting. The charm and potency of tango is captured perfectly and could well prove infectious.

Jana Bokova’s film could be described as an Argentinean Buena Vista Social Club, but with participants spanning all generations, from star dancers in their twenties to maestros in their eighties. A bar, restaurant and dance hall, the Confiteria Ideal is open to all-comers from three in the afternoon to ten in the evening: a refuge from everyday life and its obligations. It is one of the oldest of Buenos Aires’ traditional confiterias,
with a clientele mostly made up of regulars who come whenever they can, year after year. Built in the grand style of the 1920s, for the purpose of having tea or coffee with delicious cakes and listening to, and dancing to, live tango music, the Confiteria Ideal was designated an historic monument in 2003. The music is now played from CD and
the glamour of the marble columns and crystal chandeliers is faded but the Ideal remains a magical oasis in the heart of a frustrated city.
At the Confiteria Ideal there are no social barriers, no discrimination on the basis of age, size or looks. The only thing that matters is how well you can dance. But this is no easy matter. It takes years to master the art of tango. Some people never come close, no matter how hard they practise. The dancing captured on film is an awesome demonstration of the subtlety, refinement and grace of tango and the conversations with
Ideal habitués give an insight into its essence, history, traditions and conventions. The characters are diverse but all share a single passion: the dance itself. Most also cast some reflection on the situation in their country today.

Cast: Confiteria Ideal
Director(s): Jana Bokova
Format: Colour
Classification: Exempt
Running Time: 69 minutes
Download Size: 396.25 MB