Fandango at the Wall

Directed By Varda Bar-Kar

Follow NYC maestro Arturo O’Farrill to Veracruz, Mexico where he meets up with the masters of the folk music tradition called son jarocho.

  • ABOUT
  • BIO
FANDANGO AT THE WALL follows Multi-Grammy winning collaborators Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra founder/conductor Arturo O’Farrill and Music Producer Kabir Sehgal to the remotest regions of Veracruz, Mexico, where they meet and jam with the masters of son jarocho. Son jarocho is 300-year-old folk music rooted in the land that combines Indigenous, Spanish, and African traditions. After their inspiring journey to a place where time seems to stands still, Arturo and his orchestra join the masters of son jarocho at the music and dance festival Fandango Fronterizo which takes place simultaneously on both sides of the United States-Mexico border, transforming an object that divides into one that unites. FANDANGO AT THE WALL reveals a Mexico seldom depicted and shows how art and culture can bring our countries and people together.

Award-winning director Varda Bar-Kar develops and directs meaningful and engaging documentaries, feature films, and episodic television. Varda was born in England and lived on three continents by age 10, providing her with a global perspective. She is an "artivist" filmmaker, focusing her lens on subjects that explore the breadth and diversity of the human condition. Varda's films have won multiple awards, including two Emmy Awards, two LA Press Club Journalism Awards, and an Anthem Award. Her documentary, "Big Voice," premiered on Netflix and was broadcast nationally on PBS, winning a Bronze Telly Award. "Big Voice" screened at the United States Capitol as part of a campaign advocating for arts education. Varda's bi-national music documentary "Fandango at the Wall" was executive-produced by Quincy Jones and Carlos Santana. "Fandango at the Wall" premiered on HBO, streamed on MAX, spawned a Grammy-winning album, and screened at the United States Library of Congress, highlighting the power of cross-cultural diplomacy. PBS SoCal commissioned Varda to make "Artbound: The Cheech," the Emmy-winning documentary exploring Cheech Marin's passion and influence on the rise of Chicano art.


Varda's newest music documentary, "Janis Ian: Breaking Silence," premiered at DOC NYC, where it was among the top 10 most-viewed films. It won multiple festival audience awards for "best documentary" and was recognized by the Palm Springs International Film Festival as one of the "Best of the Fest" top ten films. Greenwich Entertainment picked up "Breaking Silence" for a limited theatrical run, a digital release, and a national broadcast on the PBS series American Masters. Varda participated in Ryan Murphy’s Half Foundation director program and directed an episode of Fox's hit show 9-1-1. She's a Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Resident, a Ford Foundation & Kenneth Rainin Foundation grant recipient, and a member of the DGA.