Check out a clip from the film, about the late Cuban singer Francisco Fellove.
You know Matt Dillon for his work in films such as Drugstore Cowboy and There's Something About Mary and Crash. What you might not know is that he's also a Latin music aficionado, a subject he explores at length in his documentary, El Gran Fellove.
"I've never lost my passion for music, especially Afro Cuban music," Dillon tells ET. "Documentaries enable you to naturally tap into the meaningful themes of life. And with Fellove, those themes were all there. Movies should be entertaining but are best when mirroring our feelings. However, I also want to walk away having learned something."
The late Francisco Fellove, whose nickname -- The Great Fellove -- gives the film its title, was a showman and prolific Cuban scat singer. Two decades in the making, Dillon's film uses his own recordings as well as archival footage to chronicles the recording of Fellove's final album. In an exclusive clip (above), Dillon plays some of his own salsa in his New York City home.
"The only way to absorb information, facts, names, dates etc. is to feel emotionally connected to the characters in your story," Dillon says. "My hope is that the audience is moved and inspired by Fellove as I was. You never really know how the movie will play until you put it in front of an audience. That’s the magic of cinema."
El Gran Fellove has its North American premiere at the Telluride Film Festival on Saturday.
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