El Benny

El Benny is a Cuban film released in 2006, directed and co-written by Jorge Luis Sánchez, his first feature-length film. It is a fictional story based on the life of the famous Cuban musician Benny Moré. It includes new versions of his songs performed by musicians including Chucho Valdés, Juan Formell, Haila and Orishas. The film premiered in Cuba in July 2006, and was presented at the Locarno International Film Festival in August 2006, where its star, Renny Arozarena, won the Boccalino prize for best performance for protagonist in all sections of festival. The film was Cuba's candidate for the Academy Awards. The film won the "First Work" (Opera Prima) award at the New Latin American Cinema festival in Havana in December 2006. It received its official U.S. premiere at the "Palm Springs International Film Festival" on 6 January 2007, and its east coast premiere at the Miami International Film Festival in March 2007. The director, Sánchez, is distantly related to Benny Moré.