Carlos Santana’s New Documentary Set to Premiere Fall 2023

A documentary on Carlos Santana will premiere in the fall of 2023. Directed by Rudy Valdez, Carlos, will play in select theaters on September 23, 24 and 27, before its official theatrical release on September 29. The initial three-day premiere will also feature exclusive introductory content, featuring Santana and Valdez.

The film, which premiered on Saturday (June 17) at the Tribeca Festival in New York City, documents the nearly 60-year career of the musician and songwriter, from his earlier years in Mexico through his breakthrough in music after moving to San Francisco, California, in the early 1960s.

Along with interviews with Santana and his family, and a collection of people connected to his career, including Clive Davis and Rob Thomas, Carlos also features never-before-seen home videos recorded by Santana, along with other archival and concert footage.

“I’m very grateful to witness this documentary,” said Carlos Santana during the Tribeca premiere. “I can witness my mother’s conviction and my father’s charisma sculpturing my life. I’m very grateful to them because they taught me that there’s a way to rise high above nationality or religion, and get to a place where we can accept that we are multidimensional spirits capable of creating blessings and miracles.”

The film also chronicles Santana’s breakthrough performances at The Fillmore in San Francisco and the support of music promoter Bill Graham, who first booked the band. Santana was performing alongside the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin and Big Brother and the Holding Company, Jefferson Airplane, and others by the late 1960s.

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“I arrived in San Francisco with people like Bill Graham and Jerry Garcia and so many people,” said Santana. “Bill Graham said to me ‘You know, to me you are a perfect child of Tito Puente and B.B. King,’ so it gave me confidence to show up on stage at The Fillmore, close my eyes, play my guitar in front Jerry Garcia and Michael Bloomfield.”

Santana added, “And they’re laughing, not at me, but they laugh from a joy of approval, because they can see that I have something to bring to the table, more than ever, then and now, to bring unity, harmony and oneness to this planet. I am more than a guitarist. I am a light warrior. I work with light.”

Photo: Jason Squires/WireImage