"Expertly crafted and beautifully paced, like a great piece of music." - Joshua Bell T R T: 8 3 : 3 4 Y E A R: 2 0 2 0 PatchWorks Films | Marcia Jarmel & Ken Schneider, Filmmakers | www.patchworksfilms.net info@patchworksfilms.net | +1 415.203.5910 “The compelling tale of a family disrupted by geopolitics." — Peter Keough, Boston Globe “A purely celebratory film that at the same time biopsies political expedience and nationalism; a film about love — for family, for art, for country — that is deeply layered with injustice as well as resilience; a film about forced separation that made us want to dance. “ — Woodstock Film Festival Jury "Offers a bright take on the endurance of family despite the policies of the day." — NPR, Boston “A deep eye-opener that elicits empathy and gratitude.” — John Santos / Latin Jazz Musician “A beautiful, beautiful film. Thank you for opening my eyes in a brand new way.” — David France / Oscar-nominated filmmaker, How to Survive a Plague, Welcome to Chechnya “A wonderful film that tells the story of family, music, culture...and our two countries with openness and humor.” — Lynn Roche / Deputy Director, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, U.S. State Department “Exquisite—so much poetry, heart, and exemplary craft. …The editing is just sublime.” — Rob Epstein / Two-time Oscar winner, The Times of Harvey Milk, Common Threads The Story Ilmar and Aldo are virtuoso Cuban-born brothers living on opposite sides of a geopolitical chasm a half century wide. Tracking their parallel lives, poignant reunion, and momentous first performances together on stages across the U.S., Los Hermanos / The Brothers suggests what is ALDO LÓPEZ-GAVILÁN possible when walls come down, and borders are Havana crossed. A nuanced, intensely moving view of nations long estranged, through the lens of music and family. Featuring an electrifying, genre-bending score composed by Cuban Aldo López-Gavilán, performed with his American brother, Ilmar, with a guest appearance by violin maestro Joshua Bell. ILMAR GAVILÁN New York PatchWorks Films | Marcia Jarmel & Ken Schneider, Filmmakers | www.patchworksfilms.net info@patchworksfilms.net | +1 415.203.5910 D E T A I L S T R A I L E R: S H O R T S Y N O P S I S: https://vimeo.com/285056105 Virtuoso Afro-Cuban-born brothers—violinist Ilmar and pianist Aldo—live on opposite sides of a geopolitical chasm a half-century wide. Tracking their parallel lives in New T A G L I N E: Separated by geopolitics, united by music, two Cuban brothers long to collaborate. York and Havana, their poignant reunion, and their momentous first performances together, LOS HERMANOS/THE BROTHERS offers a nuanced, often startling view of L O G L I N E : estranged nations through the lens of music and family. Virtuoso Cuban-born brothers— Ilmar the violinist, and Aldo the pianist— live on opposite sides of a geopolitical chasm a half century wide. Linked by music and dreams, their unfolding story offers a nuanced, often startling view of nations long S Y N O P S I S: estranged. Ilmar and Aldo López-Gavilán are virtuoso Afro-Cuban musician brothers, born in Havana in the 70s. At 14, Ilmar outgrew his island teachers and was sent to the S O C I A L M E D I A: U.S.S.R. to study violin. He never lived in Cuba again, ultimately landing as a working • www.facebook.com/hermanosbrothersfilm chamber violinist in the U.S. Younger brother Aldo grew up mentored by Cuba’s • https://twitter.com/hermanosbrofilm impressive jazz and classical pianists, his extraordinary talent achieving renown on the island, but stymied elsewhere by the 60-year-old U.S. embargo. Though they see each • https://www.instagram.com/hermanosbrothersfilm other when family finances and visa restrictions allow, they've never had a chance to collaborate musically—something they've longed for all their lives. P H O T O S: https://bit.ly/LHTB-photos Tracking their parallel lives, poignant reunion, and momentous first performances together on stages across the U.S., Los Hermanos / The Brothers is W E B S I T E: www.hermanosbrothersfilm.info a nuanced, intensely moving view of nations long estranged, through the lens of music and family. PatchWorks Films | Marcia Jarmel & Ken Schneider, Filmmakers | www.patchworksfilms.net info@patchworksfilms.net | +1 415.203.5910 The Brothers T O G E T H E R & A P A R T PatchWorks Films | Marcia Jarmel & Ken Schneider, Filmmakers | www.patchworksfilms.net info@patchworksfilms.net | +1 415.203.5910 In Production Aldo and fellow Cuban musicians jam with Usher, Joshua Bell, Dave Mathews, & Smokey Robinson, during the first U.S. Cultural Delegation to Cuba. 12 PatchWorksPatchworks FilmsFilms || MarciaMarcia JarmelJarmel && KenKen Schneider,Schneider, FilmmakersFilmmakers || www.patchworksfilms.netwww.patchworksfilms.net info@patchworksfilms.netinfo@patchworksfilms.net || +1+1 415.203.5910415.203.5910 Ilmar’s Harlem Quartet begins their tour with Aldo in Rockport, MA. PatchWorks Films | Marcia Jarmel & Ken Schneider, Filmmakers | www.patchworksfilms.net info@patchworksfilms.net | +1 415.203.5910 Aldo’s U.S. orchestral debut, headlining the 4th of July Pops Concert at Chautauqua, NY. with Ilmar. PatchWorks Films | Marcia Jarmel & Ken Schneider, Filmmakers | www.patchworksfilms.net info@patchworksfilms.net | +1 415.203.5910 Aldo is invited to play at Lincoln Center with world-renowned violinist, Joshua Bell, and others from the Havana jam. PBS airs the performance across the U.S. A family story originally brought us to Cuba, where Ken’s dad was given Criss-crossing the island for two weeks on a bus of Cuban artists, thought shelter as a refugee child from Nazi Germany, two years before the U.S. leaders, and pop stars, we found instead open hearts, open minds, and opened its doors to him. Our first Cuban film, Havana Curveball, follows the building of deep friendships with a broad range of Cubans. A year the humbling lessons our son learned in his efforts to thank Cuba 60 years later, the death of Fidel and the ascent of Donald Trump changed the later by sending baseball gear to kids who share his love of the game. landscape of US-Cuba relations, and the prospects for the brothers. Since the diplomatic shift in December 2014, we’ve seen things begin to Today it is harder than ever for Cubans and Americans to cross borders. change. More American tourists. More money. W-fi. There was a palpable Americans still know little of one of their closest neighbors, likening Cuba sense of possibility—and concern that core Cuban values would be to either an island paradise or socialist prison. We rarely hear the threatened. When we toured Cuba with Havana Curveball in the spring of perspectives of Cubans themselves. The Cubans we know are deeply 2015, we were concerned about how Cubans would respond to this story proud of their values, their artistic achievements, their way of life. They of an idealistic and perhaps naive middle class teen from the U.S. want change—and self-determination. They have generously shared their stories with us. We are committed to bringing them to you. MARCIA JARMEL & KEN SCHNEIDER PatchWorks Films PatchWorks Films | Marcia Jarmel & Ken Schneider, Filmmakers | www.patchworksfilms.net info@patchworksfilms.net | +1 415.203.5910 1411 PatchWorks Films | Marcia Jarmel & Ken Schneider, Filmmakers | www.patchworksfilms.net info@patchworksfilms.net | +1 415.203.5910 With 20+ years experience, and 9 years working in Cuba, PatchWorks tells intimate stories that invoke complicated questions about family, faith, and identity. Their 6 award-winning features and numerous shorts have broadcast worldwide and screened at festivals, schools, organizations, and community venues, facilitating complicated community conversations, enriching curriculum, and sometimes impacting legislation. Their work has broadcast worldwide and showcased at festivals, museums, libraries, schools, universities, community centers, and conferences. LOS HERMANOS / THE BROTHERS is PatchWorks’ 8th collaboration, their 4th in Cuba. Previous films include: Speaking in Tongues (IPBS), Havana Curveball, The Return of Sarah’s Daughters (PBS), Born in the U.S.A. (PBS’ Independent Lens) and many short films. See trailers and read about our films at: www.patchworksfilms.net. MARCIA JARMEL has produced and KEN SCHNEIDER is a Peabody- winning directed a slate of award-winning films producer/director who has also edited nearly for PatchWorks Films. She works as a 40 feature documentaries for PBS, HBO, consultant and impact strategist on a Showtime and Al-Jazeera. He received a broad range of films, including the Peabody as Co-producer and editor of Soft Oscar nominee Last Day of Freedom Vengeance. He edited the Oscar-nominated and HBO’s Emmy-nominated 50 Regret to Inform, described by the New York Children. Times as “unforgettable ... exquisitely filmed, edited and scored.” Films he edited have Marcia has taught both undergrad and earned multiple Emmys, a Columbia-Dupont, graduate film courses at NYU and three Peabodys, an Indie Spirit and top Chapman University and been honored awards at the Sundance Film Festival. Ken is with residencies with Working Films, drawn to stories of war and peace, human the Fledgling Fund, SFFilm, the rights, artists, American history, Kopkind Colony, and BAVC Media contemporary social issues, and Cuba. Ken Maker. She has served as a juror for works in English and Spanish. the Emmys, BAVC MediaMaker, and www.kenschneidereditor.net many film festivals. PatchWorks Films | Marcia Jarmel & Ken Schneider, Filmmakers | www.patchworksfilms.net info@patchworksfilms.net | +1 415.203.5910 DAVE SPERLING (Cinematographer) has been a DP for 25 years, most recently on Girl on a Train. He shot the Cable Ace- winning television series Remember WENN and the Emmy nominated Mathnet, as well as numerous documentaries including HBO’s 50 Children: The Rescue Mission of Mr.