Colombian movie uses Creative Commons licence for a soundtrack

Este artículo está disponible en ESPAÑOL

Crossposted on iCommons

Despite interesting movies and efforts in Colombia no film industry in the true sense of the word has really evolved. During the 80s a public institution, Focine, provided support for some productions but it was not viable financially and had to declare bankruptcy during the 90s. In 2003 the "film law" (Ley 814 de 2003). offered important incentives, in the form of tax deductions, to companies and individuals who fund film productions, in an effort to boost the industry.

During the last 10 years we have witnessed a growth in Colombian cinema. Although numbers are still small, the statistics are showing encouraging results. The participation of Colombian films in local cinema halls during the last 10 years rose from 0.40% in 1997 to 6.06% in 2007 (from 1 to 12 films respectively), while spectators rose from 100 thousand to nearly 2.5 million in the same period. Obviously, something is happenning. I am very glad, because Colombia is a place where there is a lot to tell; moreover, most of us believe there are still so many things that should be told my hope is that one day, all those stories will see the light.

Last April a movie, Perro come perro (dog eat dog), premiered in Colombian cinema halls to raving reviews that promised great success. It is my understanding that it is a story of violence, one of those stories that could be true in a place and time such as actual Colombia, which reflects all those counter-values related to the criminal worlds. Because I am too sensitive regarding films, especially this kind of true stories that are already all over the daily news, I have yet to decide to defy my fears. I have not made it to the cinemas, for I have not found the courage to face those hard truths in the screen. However, this post today is to tell you that I had such a great surprise when I found out that one of the songs in the soundtrack for Perro come perro, Las reglas (The Rules) by Malalma, is available on the website for free downloading and for sharing under a Creative Commons licence byncnd 2.5 Colombia. Yes, it is the most restrictive licence, but this is still a milestone! It is certainly good news, especially since I have no record of such an initiative in Latin American cinema. I hope the next step will be a bolder one. 

Malalma (the name plays with the Spanish words for "bad soul") is a Colombian group playing "electrocumbé" and it is really the main character in this post. In their Myspace site they explain themselves saying that "Malalma tells everyone’s story from a feminine soul perspective, always taking advantage of music to rewrite the context, narrating in a language of urban-electro-folklore. The work of the band is artisan, with simple tools, with aesthetics that reflect their roots, the urban with an always present touch of humor". This might be a good excuse for you to explore new sounds and musicians, go ahead and DOWNLOAD!

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