¡Viva Maestro!, newly released documentary about the famous Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel, depicts the conductor’s relationship with “El Sistema”, the famous music education program broadcast in Venezuela during the government of Hugo Chavez, when Dudamel gained greater notoriety as an artist.

The film begins with Dudamel leading Venezuelan orchestras and taking them on tour abroad to play classical music's greatest hits. Throughout the movie, however, he leaves Venezuela after speaking out against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

According to a review published by the Latino Rebels, “the film hops between youth orchestras of various ages […] The youngest groups were equally divided across genders and were comprised mostly of dark-skinned folks. As the groups become more elitist, they also become much whiter and more masculine. At the pinnacle is Dudamel, an unbelievable talent, a genius at his craft, but also a white guy who has benefited from ‘La Sistema’ in more ways than the film is willing to explore.”

“The filmmakers show how he feel reluctant and compelled to engage with his home country’s political problems. As ¡Viva Maestro! tells it, Dudamel stayed out of politics as long as he could because he didn’t see it as his place. But when a student of ‘La Sistema’ was murdered in the streets for protesting, he had to do something. So, he issues a statement, which is picked up by the New York Times, decrying the situation and calling for change. His is a position of immense privilege but one that Dudamel clearly tries to use for good”.

“The film does make motions at classical music’s anti-colonial possibilities. The only living composer we see Dudamel conduct is the Mexican Arturo Márquez. Later the two men partnered on a youth program, convening young musicians in Mexico for a showcase performance. And while almost all the voices on the program are male, we do hear one woman speak. Nathaly Al Gindi has fled Venezuela and is getting her master’s in Berlin. A talented bassist, she’s proud to know Dudamel and be part of ‘La Sistema’, but devastated that she cannot return home and use her talents there”, according to the Latino Rebels critic.

¡Viva Maestro! adds nicely to the conversation around arts, responsibility, and Venezuela. […] It is worth a watch, since it reveals the way art can transform the world, as well as its limitations and power.

“Classical music may not seem like the most obvious tool for understanding our world today. But clearly, it is for many people, including Gustavo Dudamel and the children crying for his autograph. ¡Viva Maestro! makes the case that they are worth understanding and fighting for, and that to do so is one way to build a more beautiful, more just world”.

¡Viva Maestro! opened in select theaters on Friday, April 8.