New Times: What did you think when Trueba told you he was making this movie?
Nat Chediak: This was the most difficult thing; he had trouble finding financing. A movie about Latin jazz? Are you kidding? This isn't J. Lo or Ricky Martin or Marc Anthony, this is the real thing. I thought he was crazy!
Did you have to come up with money as associate producer?
No, no. I'm having enough trouble coming up [with money] for lunch! [Actually part of his function was to keep a diary of the filming for a coffee table book recently published in Spain, and providing commentary for a soon-to-be-released DVD version of the movie.]
What was your favorite thing about the film?
The film is incredibly pure, and I mean that as the highest form of praise. Fernando's devotion to the music comes across by the attention he lavishes on its depiction, on its creation. You actually see and hear the music come alive.
What are you planning to do next?
I have a lot of things in mind. They are mostly music-related, and if film comes into the picture, it will be through the music, not through film itself. You will hear from me -- hopefully in more ways than one.