AllMovie

Filmmaker Sigrid Faltin explores the rich history of the song &La Paloma" in this documentary tracing the rich history of Sebastián de Iradier's enduring ballad. &La Paloma" is one of those songs that everyone has heard, but no one seems to quite remember. Composed in the Basque country in the 1860s, the tune would subsequently be adapted in a variety of languages, each interpretation somehow transforming the song's original meaning. Some listeners interpret &La Paloma" as a heart-wrenching ballad, while others hear a political call to action or even an executioner's song. In order to explore the shifting meaning of &La Paloma", director Faltin travels the globe from Cuba to Tanzania, constantly searching for new meaning in a timeless song.