La Lupe: Queen of Latin Soul a “Whole” Story
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Ela Troyano’s La Lupe: Queen of Latin Soul A “Whole” Story by Mirasol Riojas DuriNG a Q & A session that followed the screening of La Lupe: Queen of Latin Soul, independent filmmaker, Ela Troyano, mentioned that her film is not like traditional documentaries, particularly those that are thematically oriented. Anyone in the audience familiar with either Troyano’s work or the musical performances of Cuban songstress, Lupe Yoli (aka La Lupe and La Yi Yi Yi), had to know that when they sat down to watch the film, they would be watching something characteristically unconventional. Both La Lupe (who was known for her outrageous performances) and Troyano’s films—particularly Latin Boys Go to Hell (1997)—have developed cult followings over the years, and La Lupe is a testament as to the many reasons why this is so. An international star, La Lupe was one of the most celebrated Latin performers of the 1960s and 70s. While her music continues to be some of the best selling of the era and her status as an icon among JAN09 7 CSupdateW toc Latino communities is undeni- to tell her story. In doing so, she able, La Lupe is not nearly as has created an important histori- well-known among the general cal document and shed light on public as many of her contem- a generation from which we still poraries, such as Tito Puente or have much to learn. Celia Cruz. Troyano notes that we Troyano’s interest in La Lupe have only begun to learn about surfaced in 1987, years after the the Latin musicians of this era. peak of the singer’s career. At the In making this film, her goal was time, Troyano was involved with to gather as much information Maria Irene Forne’s playwright’s as possible about La Lupe and lab at the New York-based Latino theater, INTAR. Forne’s attention to detail and the vibrancy of her writing inspired Troyano to carry a tape recorder around with her at all times. Troyano describes herself as being something like Andy Warhol at this moment in her life, “recording everything.” It was at this point that she stum- bled upon La Lupe. In 1987, she La Lupe (above) was known for her outra- found her sharing stories about geous performances. Troyano (left) is an her life with an audience at a award-winning filmmaker known church on the Lower East Side particularly for Latin Boys Go to Hell. of Manhattan. La Lupe made it clear that she did not want to be videotaped, which was a relief JAN09 8 CSupdateW toc to Troyano, since all she wanted made for ITVS and aired on the consultant type person. But you More than the archival to do was use an audiotape PBS series, Independent Lens. Of know, in order to tell the story, footage, however, the recorder to document the event. course, filmmakers always have and in order to get things, you numerous personal She remembers, “I went up to the to make decisions about what just had to do it. There was no anecdotes from La altar to be blessed by [La Lupe], to include and what to leave out other way.” Lupe’s family, friends, hiding the little blinking red of their films, but because she More than the archival footage, and peers truly sets light.” Troyano instantly became was strictly bound to produce however, the numerous personal this documentary fascinated by the figure and a one-hour long film, Troyano anecdotes from La Lupe’s family, apart. Troyano placed the woman known as La Lupe. faced a difficult challenge and friends, and peers truly sets this oral histories at the She did not understand just was forced to leave out much of documentary apart. Troyano center of her project, who the woman was, but says the information she had worked placed oral histories at the center and interviewed some she knew that she had to know so hard to gather. of her project, and interviewed of the most influential more. Troyano later embarked on As she conducted research some of the most influential Latinos from the the film project, and it was her for the film, Troyano found that Latinos from the Cuban music Cuban music scene. resourcefulness, as exhibited in documentation of La Lupe’s scene, such as musicologist Helio this initial meeting with La Lupe, life, and surprisingly, even her Orovio and percussionist Mongo that would be the key to seeing performances, were not easy to Santamaria. In the case of Sat- the film through to completion. find. Troyano incorporated rare namaria, Troyano had particular La Lupe: Queen of Latin Soul footage of La Lupe into the film, foresight in that, as soon as she was a long time in the making. including a vibrant performance learned she had the opportunity Troyano explains, “In 1993 I tried on the Dick Cavett show, and a to interview him, she purchased to raise funds for a film but no short clip with Tito Puente (with a small camera to videotape the one seemed interested until whom she performed for years), event. The footage is a treasure, 2000.” She was able to piece the recorded at Madison Square as this meeting represents the funding together and eventually Garden in 1976. Troyano says last opportunity Troyano had to secured a contract for a one- she spent an enormous amount interview the legendary musi- hour documentary. The film was of time “being like a copyright/ cian. Both he and Orovio have JAN09 9 CSupdateW toc since died. The film is notable, then, not only things about this film is that Troyano con- because it brings to light the life of a multi- structs a story that depicts La Lupe as a com- …La Lupe disavowed her religious belief in faceted woman who was much more than her plex woman, and more importantly, whole. Santeria and converted at the end of her life, legendary wild and irreverent stage persona, She never attempts to tell the “whole” story giving testimonials in church. There are some but also because the film stands as a tribute or to present the definitive “facts.” Instead, who believe that the Santeros were respon- to many musicians who have remained too Troyano shows different facets of La Lupe’s sible for La Lupe’s downfall and Santeros who long under the radar. life, none of which viewers are led to believe believe she lost her power when she left Sante- There has been a recent increase in atten- defined her. Troyano begins putting the ria. It is a complicated issue... the inclusion of tion to many of the most influential musi- pieces of La Lupe’s life together and reminds Afro-Cuban culture in discussing her childhood cians of the time. For example, like La Lupe, us that there are many stories to be told. in Santiago de Cuba. This was followed later Cuban singer Benny Moré has also been the Conscious that any “‘message’ usually dates on by anecdotes of La Lupe as a Santera, with subject of documentary films, as well as a fairly quickly on film” and also that some different or conflicting points of view: of her recent biopic, El Benny (2006). Puerto Rican aspects of La Lupe’s story are quite delicate, musical style as possession; of her style as the- salsero Hector Lavoe received much due pub- Troyano’s address is subtle, yet effective. For atrical -- not Santeria -- but with the inclusion licity with the release of the Jennifer Lopez/ example, when she uses a map to discuss La of traditional Afro-Cuban songs at the end of Marc Anthony vehicle El Cantante in 2006. Lupe’s background, Troyano makes a con- a set; with her favorite music engineer and pro- Rather than highlight the tragedy and the scious effort to show her hometown, San- ducer, Fred Weinberg describing the alienation tumultuous relationships that were a part of tiago, in relation to Jamaica and Haiti, where he felt once she became a Santera, explaining La Lupe’s life, in the way the aforementioned her family was from, rather than in relation that he used to kiss and hug her to say hello films tend to emphasize the musicians’ per- to the rest of Cuba. She says this decision was and now he couldn’t go near her, you couldn’t sonal demons and their respective struggles an effort to “position [La Lupe] as Caribbean.” touch her. with alcohol and drugs, Troyano approached Troyano further explains that depicting La her film from a more holistic perspective. Lupe’s involvement with Santeria was diffi- Another example of Troyano’s subtlety is in This is in part due, of course, to the fact that cult. She says that the different belief systems the way she addressed La Lupe’s iconic status Troyano’s film is a documentary and not and the secretive nature of Santeria made it among the gay Latino community. Troyano a dramatization. There is much more to it hard to address. About the choices she made, connects La Lupe to queer culture by identi- than that, however. One of the most striking she explains: fying her style as over the top and including JAN09 10 CSupdateW toc footage of Orovio describing La Lupe as both no was certain that she “really did want to see macho and feminine, and very much irrever- her changing,” as the film progressed. Yet the Thinkıng Gender ent. Troyano says, “You’ve got to remember film is not only the story of an immigrant.