I do not own this image, no copyright infringement is intended.
Full disclosure: I love Cuba. The people, the culture, the lifestyle, the scenery &, of course, the arts. I’ve been fortunate enough to have set foot on the island nation twice now. Never fails to dazzle. Despite the hardships endured by many of those who call Cuba home, it is a place of joy, resilience, tolerance & beauty.
I never realized before spending time in Havana how richly steeped in the visual arts Cubans are. Silly me, I know. & while sitting in my hotel one night looking for something to watch (you know, to work my Spanish chops a bit… such as they are) it donned on me: why have I never seen a Cuban film? Why can’t I readily identify any Cuban actors or filmmakers? I can name a handful from India, Spain, China, Africa, Mexico & several other countries… surely there must be Cuban filmmakers & stars too, no?
Now, I also have deep affection for international cinema. So you can imagine my chagrin when I found this gap in my cognitive awareness of cinematic experiences. Therefore, naturally, I tried to learn more. My homework educated me to the realities that are Cuba’s film industry. Once promising & filled with talents prior to the Revolution of 1959, it since shriveled up. Initially caught in the politics of the ‘Cold War’ era, the industry was essentially controlled by Castro’s government whose focus was on anti-imperialist works at the time. The political & ideological shift caused many talents from Cuba to immigrate to the US & South American countries. Since then, the Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art & Industry (ICAIC) has become more independent of the government’s influence in its creative flexibility. The results have been the development of successful & incredibly well-done films that have from time to time received acclaim at film festivals worldwide over the past four decades. But the number of films made each year is very limited, mainly due to the financial challenges involved in making a film.
That’s the beauty of art. People with just enough of the right resources can find a way to create, express, narrate & move others with their words, brushes, sounds, bodies & lenses. Cuba’s arts have not merely survived –it’s thrived!
I recently discovered the existence of the Havana Film Festival. 2018 marks its 40th year. I don’t know how this could get any better for me. I imagine it’ll be like all my favorite things in one place. Might even be more than I can handle!
Not that I need another excuse, but December in the Caribbean sounds pretty damn good to me anyway.