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 DGA director Varda Bar-Kar has directed an array of productions, including documentaries, episodic television, short films, and branded content. She transitioned to directing after working as a Script Supervisor for maverick feature directors like Jim Jarmusch, Wayne Wang, and Carroll Ballard. Varda was born in England, to a South African mother and Romanian father. She lived on three different continents by the time she was ten years old. She is an activist filmmaker focusing her lens on meaningful stories exploring the breadth and diversity of the human condition.
Varda's short films have had robust festival runs and garnered multiple awards. Her music documentary Big Voice was screened at the Capitol in advocacy of Arts Education, broadcast on PBS winning a Bronze Telly Award, and streamed on Netflix. HBO has picked up Varda's new documentary Fandango at the Wall which follows son jarocho musicians from Veracruz, Mexico to the United States-Mexico border where they join renowned New York Maestro Arturo O’Farrill and his Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra for a music festival that takes place on both sides of the border transforming it from an object that divides to one that unites.
Varda participated in Ryan Murphy’s Half Foundation television directing mentorship program and has since directed for Fox's hit show 9-1-1. Varda is excited to be expanding into directing episodic television and scripted features.
Varda sits on the board of New Filmmakers Los Angeles.
