A new Blondie documentary is set to make its debut at this year’s Sheffield Doc Fest. Titled Blondie: Vivir en la Habana, the film follows Debbie Harry and the rest of the legendary band on a journey to Cuba, exploring the exchange and politics between NYC and Havana, and the influence of Cuban musicians.
Blondie were invited to Havana, Cuba, in 2019, where they performed and collaborated with local musicians as part of a cultural exchange programme. The trip apparently fulfilled a decades-long dream of the band, particularly founding member and guitarist Chris Stein, who had wanted to visit for 40 years.
Described as a “dream-like” portrait of the new wave group’s first experience in Havana, the documentary includes narration from Harry, Stein, and drummer Clem Burke. Shot on 16mm and 8mm film, it also showcases performances with Cuban musicians, capturing the “magical exchange between musicians from the two cities each call home and their intertwined influence”.
Blondie: Vivir en la Habana was envisioned as a short film by director and longtime collaborator of Harry, Rob Roth. Roth has previously worked on the punk icon’s 2019 memoir Face It, and talked Dazed through some of his favourite images that he chose to be featured in the book.
Sheffield Doc Fest is also set to feature Charli XCX’s quarantine documentary, titled Alone Together, that chronicles the recording of her album how i’m feeling now during the coronavirus pandemic.
Blondie: Vivir en la Habana will premiere at Sheffield Doc Fest between June 4 and June 13, and will also be screened at New Tork’s Tribeca Festival, which runs June 9 to June 20. View the trailer via the UK festival’s announcement below, and revisit Dazed’s 2020 interview with Debbie Harry here.