Juan Carvajal(II)

Producer
Director
Writer

La Salsa Vive is a documentary that celebrates the vibrant legacy of salsa music, tracing its roots from the bustling streets of 1970s New York, where it was born, to the passionate rhythms of Cali, Colombia, where it thrives today. Featuring legendary artists like Rubén Blades, Henry Fiol, and Grupo Niche, the film explores salsa evolution, its cultural significance, and its power to inspire and transform lives across generations. La Salsa Vive is a tribute to the music, the people, and the cities that keep the heartbeat of salsa alive.

Play demo reel2:32

La salsa vive trailer

Colombian filmmaker and cultural producer whose work centers on the untold stories of Latin music and diaspora. His debut feature documentary La Salsa Vive premiered at SXSW 2025 and has since earned three Macondo Awards (Best Documentary, Best Sound, Best Editing), and Netflix Latin America distribution, establishing Carvajal as a vital voice in contemporary documentary cinema. Beyond directing, Carvajal founded the Colombian Film Festival New York (2012), co-founded IndieBo (2014), and served as Artistic Director of The Classics (2017), work that reflects his commitment to building infrastructure for underrepresented filmmakers and stories. Carvajal's practice is rooted in deep research, collaborative production, and a belief that cinema is a tool for cultural preservation and collective memory.