How SXSW Doc 'La 42' Captured the Authenticity of Art in Community

A good documentary is something special—an intimate, transcendent way to feel a close relationship with its subject, whether it's a person, place, or moment in time. Perhaps a broad way to contextualize the art of the doc, but it's something that is particularly prevalent in the way director José Maria Cabral captures the Dominican street and community in his SXSW doc La 42—a particularly immersive experience that leaves you feeling as if you've been there the duration of its short and dense runtime. To anyone unfamiliar (myself included before watching director Cabral's doc), La 42—or 42nd Street—is a working-class neighborhood in Santa Domingo, defined by its rich artistic community and their constant conflict with local authorities. La 42 succeeds in showcasing the pitfalls of poverty and its many encroaching effects, also painting a humanist picture of how authorities can overstep and marginalize a community. While many members of the community are represented, the most prominent are artist Dametal and the Dembow ("They Bow") hip-hop scene. Essentially, La 42 is a rich window into an overlooked culture under the guise of a music documentary. We love it. Below, we chat with Cabral about the technical process of creating an immersive trip through 42nd Street hot off the heels of his SXSW premiere. Check it out! Editor's note: The following interview is edited for length and clarity. NFS Interviews José Maria CabralNo Film School: What was your approach to telling such a succinct characterization of 42nd Street?José Maria Cabral: I tried to stay as authentic to the place as possible. Being there is surreal, whether it’s 11 at night or eight in the morning, something is always happening. I wanted to make an experiential documentary, not just show La 42, but make the audience feel it. My goal was for people to walk out of the theater as if they had actually been there.NFS: What did production look like as a whole—how many cameras did you use?JMC: We shot with three cameras: the Sony Venice, the Sony FX3, and iPhones. We prioritized quality, workflow, and low-light capability. Some additional footage came from the community itself, which added a raw, firsthand perspective to the film.NFS: How long did it take to shoot and edit La 42? What were some of the biggest challenges?JMC: The entire process took about three years. I spent months researching before even picking up a camera. I packed my bags and started living in Demetals’ place, documenting everything with my personal camera. That turned into a sort of pre-documentary, about 40 minutes long, just for myself, to understand the story I wanted to tell. Then we had an official four-week shoot, but I kept filming throughout all of 2023 and some of 2024. Editing took another full year, right up until the final cut at the end of 2024.NFS: Tell me a little more about the editing process!JMC: Editing was like making a second film. I first edited all my research footage, only to scrap most of it. Then I focused on what we shot more professionally, which took months. The structure of the film kept evolving because La 42 kept evolving. Things kept happening, so I kept going back to shoot more. That meant the editing never really stopped, I was working on it for over a year.NFS: What was your approach to the more intimate moments of the film?JMC: I wanted to follow the anonymous figures of La 42. Not that they’re unknown—many are well-respected in the community—but they aren’t as famous as the artists who visit. I focused on the dancers, musicians, police officers, and everyday people, capturing their struggles, passion, and talent.NFS: Were there any complications filming scenes with law enforcement?JMC: Not major complications, but they definitely didn’t like us being there. We had permission, but once we started filming, they weren’t thrilled about it. A few times, we were forced to cut the camera. Luckily, cameras today are small, and we found ways to keep shooting.NFS: What’s your advice for documentarians telling personal stories like this?JMC: There’s a quote I love from The Peregrine that says: "The hunter must become the thing he hunts." That’s exactly it. You have to immerse yourself completely, become part of the world you’re capturing. Only then can you tell the story from the inside out.

Mar 25, 2025 - 22:04

How SXSW Doc 'La 42' Captured the Authenticity of Art in Community

A good documentary is something special—an intimate, transcendent way to feel a close relationship with its subject, whether it's a person, place, or moment in time. Perhaps a broad way to contextualize the art of the doc, but it's something that is particularly prevalent in the way director José Maria Cabral captures the Dominican street and community in his SXSW doc La 42—a particularly immersive experience that leaves you feeling as if you've been there the duration of its short and dense runtime.

To anyone unfamiliar (myself included before watching director Cabral's doc), La 42—or 42nd Street—is a working-class neighborhood in Santa Domingo, defined by its rich artistic community and their constant conflict with local authorities. La 42 succeeds in showcasing the pitfalls of poverty and its many encroaching effects, also painting a humanist picture of how authorities can overstep and marginalize a community. While many members of the community are represented, the most prominent are artist Dametal and the Dembow ("They Bow") hip-hop scene. Essentially, La 42 is a rich window into an overlooked culture under the guise of a music documentary. We love it.

Below, we chat with Cabral about the technical process of creating an immersive trip through 42nd Street hot off the heels of his SXSW premiere. Check it out!

Editor's note: The following interview is edited for length and clarity.

NFS Interviews José Maria Cabral

No Film School: What was your approach to telling such a succinct characterization of 42nd Street?

José Maria Cabral: I tried to stay as authentic to the place as possible. Being there is surreal, whether it’s 11 at night or eight in the morning, something is always happening. I wanted to make an experiential documentary, not just show La 42, but make the audience feel it. My goal was for people to walk out of the theater as if they had actually been there.

NFS: What did production look like as a whole—how many cameras did you use?

JMC: We shot with three cameras: the Sony Venice, the Sony FX3, and iPhones. We prioritized quality, workflow, and low-light capability. Some additional footage came from the community itself, which added a raw, firsthand perspective to the film.

NFS: How long did it take to shoot and edit La 42? What were some of the biggest challenges?

JMC: The entire process took about three years. I spent months researching before even picking up a camera. I packed my bags and started living in Demetals’ place, documenting everything with my personal camera. That turned into a sort of pre-documentary, about 40 minutes long, just for myself, to understand the story I wanted to tell. Then we had an official four-week shoot, but I kept filming throughout all of 2023 and some of 2024. Editing took another full year, right up until the final cut at the end of 2024.

NFS: Tell me a little more about the editing process!

JMC: Editing was like making a second film. I first edited all my research footage, only to scrap most of it. Then I focused on what we shot more professionally, which took months. The structure of the film kept evolving because La 42 kept evolving. Things kept happening, so I kept going back to shoot more. That meant the editing never really stopped, I was working on it for over a year.

NFS: What was your approach to the more intimate moments of the film?

JMC: I wanted to follow the anonymous figures of La 42. Not that they’re unknown—many are well-respected in the community—but they aren’t as famous as the artists who visit. I focused on the dancers, musicians, police officers, and everyday people, capturing their struggles, passion, and talent.

NFS: Were there any complications filming scenes with law enforcement?

JMC: Not major complications, but they definitely didn’t like us being there. We had permission, but once we started filming, they weren’t thrilled about it. A few times, we were forced to cut the camera. Luckily, cameras today are small, and we found ways to keep shooting.

NFS: What’s your advice for documentarians telling personal stories like this?

JMC: There’s a quote I love from The Peregrine that says: "The hunter must become the thing he hunts." That’s exactly it. You have to immerse yourself completely, become part of the world you’re capturing. Only then can you tell the story from the inside out.