Carlos Santana looks back at his life and career in the new documentary Carlos, and after 50 years in the business, he tells ABC Audio that making the documentary “was a long time coming.”
“A lot of people approached me that wanted to do this, but it just wasn’t the time or it wasn’t the right people or the right person,” he shares. Things changed when producer Ron Howard and director Rudy Valdez came into the picture, with Santana sharing he had confidence “they would honor and respect my request and that I had say so on beginning, middle and end, how my life was being presented.”
The decision to call the movie Carlos and not Santana was a deliberate one, as the film gives fans insight into the man, not just his music.
Santana says throughout his career, regardless of the bands he’s played with, “Carlos seems to be the glue that keeps believing that this particular multidimensional Mexican could bring something” respected by other artists, which makes him feel “really, really grateful.”
The film covers many of the highs and lows of Santana’s career, including highs like playing Woodstock and his multi-Platinum album, Supernatural. He hopes fans are inspired by what they see.
“I remember that it was Maya Angelou who said, ‘The only thing people are going to remember is how you make them feel,’” he said. “So I want to make people feel like you’re priceless, precious, and God loves you and he believes in you. That’s what I want people to receive from this documentary.”
Carlos is set to open with a special three-day theatrical event September 23, 24 and 27. It will then get a wider theatrical release on September 29.
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