La Singla

History, Germany/Spain 2023

Join the search for one of flamencos greatest stars

As one of the greatest mysteries in Flamenco history, La Singla is more than just a film about a child flamenco artist, the Roma community, and the deaf community. This flamenco prodigy—who toured Europe with a young Paco de Lucía and shared the stage with the legendary Ella Fitzgerald—vanished at the height of her fame. This suspense thriller will uncover the universal story of an extraordinary woman whose mysterious gaze, unparalleled expression, and deep connection to flamenco art will captivate, move, and inspire audiences worldwide. When Antonia Singla graced the stage, she did so without hearing the music. Born deaf to a Romani family in the suburbs of Barcelona, La Singla—as she would affectionately come to be called—rose to international acclaim by the age of 17. Quite literally moving to the beat of her own drum, La Singla’s pistol-like percussions were nothing short of revolutionary, gripping the world of flamenco with a dynamism never before experienced. But at the height of her fame, La Singla disappeared from the dance stage, leaving a scattered archival legacy of the world’s best bailaora behind. Paloma Zapata’s hybrid film stunningly weaves the past and present together, expertly layering archival footage with passionate music and sound. One question drives her forward—to find La Singla herself and finally hear, in the dancer’s own words, the heartbreaking story of her life.
95 min
HD
FSK 6
Audio language:
Spanish
Subtitles:
EnglishFrenchItalian

Awards

DocsBarcelona 2023 Audience Award
Moscow Int. Film Festival 2023 Russian Film Clubs Federation Award
Feroz Awards 2024 Best Non-Fiction

More information

Director:

Paloma Zapata

Sound Design:

Hannes Schulz

Cast:

Helena Kaittani (Elena)

María Alfonsa Rosso (Elena's grandmother)

Adelfa Calvo (Elena's mother)

Original title:

La Singla

Original language:

Spanish

Further titles:

En busca de La Singla

Format:

2.39:1 HD, Color with partial B/W

Age rating:

FSK 6 (emotional stress)

Audio language:

Spanish

Subtitles:

EnglishFrenchItalian

Subtitles (SDH):

Spanish