The Bridge 'Portobelo'

This is a film about the city of Portobelo in Panama. This historic port city is a significant marker of the transatlantic slave trade as it was the first point of arrival for so many enslaved Africans who were taken to different places across the Americas. With the voices and performances by members of La Escuelita del Ritmo, a grassroots music school offering creative opportunities for marginalized and at-risk youth, this short documentary depicts Portobelo’s African culture ancestry and its residents describing what their history means to them. The documentary was produced by UNFPA as part of our ongoing efforts to accelerate global action to fulfill the rights of Afro-descendants. ---- This is a video about the city of Portobelo in Panama. A historic port city that became an important point on the transatlantic slave route as it was the first place where many enslaved Africans arrived in Central America. Featuring the voices and music of the members of La Escuelita del Ritmo, a music school that offers creative opportunities for young people living in at-risk communities, this short documentary captures the ancestral African culture of Portobelo, and its residents describe what its history means to them. This documentary was produced by UNFPA as part of its efforts to accelerate global action on the rights of people of African descent.