Ilmar and Aldo López-Gavilán are virtuoso Afro-Cuban musician brothers, born in Havana in the 70s. At 14, Ilmar outgrew his island teachers and was sent to the U.S.S.R. to study violin. He never lived in Cuba again, ultimately landing as a working chamber violinist in the U.S. Younger brother Aldo grew up mentored by Cuba’s impressive jazz and classical pianists, his extraordinary talent achieving renown on the island, but stymied elsewhere by the 60-year-old U.S. embargo. Though they see each other when family finances and visa restrictions allow, they've never had a chance to collaborate musically—something they've longed for all their lives.

Tracking their parallel lives, poignant reunion, and momentous first performances together on stages across the U.S., LOS HERMANOS/THE BROTHERS is a nuanced, intensely moving view of nations long estranged, through the lens of music and family.  

Directors' Bio

PatchWorks Films, co-founded by husband and wife team Marcia Jarmel and Ken Schneider, makes heart-centered documentaries raising nuanced questions about critical contemporary issues. Ken, a Peabody-winning producer, has edited over 35 feature-length documentaries for PBS, HBO, Al-Jazeera, Showtime, and others. Films he edited have been nominated for an Oscar and multiple Emmys, and won prime-time and documentary Emmys, a Columbia-Dupont, three Peabodys, an Indie Spirit award and top awards at the Sundance Film Festival. Marcia manages distribution and impact for PatchWorks and recently served as producer on HBO’s Emmy-nominated 50 CHILDREN and consultant to Oscar nominee LAST DAY OF FREEDOM. Before founding PatchWorks, Marcia directed and produced the award-winning THE RETURN OF SARAH’S DAUGHTERS and THE F WORD: A SHORT VIDEO ABOUT FEMINISM. See trailers and read about our films at: www.patchworksfilms.net.