(Un Traductor. Foto: Gabriel Guerra Bianchini) It's that time of the year again, where we shout out Cuban filmmakers being featured at the Sundance Film Festival. Given the fact that there is really not much of an independent film scene in Cuba (more on that later), I find it miraculous when I discover a new…
Film
Hello Trump. Now What?
(Illustration: Jasper Rietman for NY Times) Tomorrow is January 20th. It’s official. Mr Trump will now be our President, and despite all the other issues to face internationally, this blog post is about one thing only — How “the Donald” will be handling Cuba/US relations and how you as an American can help shape policy…
Tiny (Minisculo) Animation
Muestra Joven is a showcase of young talent hosted by ICAIC (Cuba's Film Institute). It's sort of a competition festival of audiovisual work made by Cuba's youth today. This fresh director, René Alejandro Díaz Rodríguez, competes in the Animation section with his short film, Tiny (Minisculo). In only one minute, this animator seems to capture the "grandeur of small things". Moreover,…
1930’s Cuba
Here's a pretty awesome vintage newsreel that provides a tour of 1930's Havana filmed by Andre de la Varre. If you visit Cuba for whatever reason soon, take a look at these structures and go visit the real thing today.
Sugar Barons show #3
(Havana Surf Director Rod Diaz visits Sugar Barons Show this week) This week we broadcasted from our usual spot, Miss Lily's. In addition to the usual Cuban classics dropped every week, this weeks guest (February 22) was a documentarian who discovered a hidden pocket of surf culture near Havana. Director Rodrigo Diaz McVeigh came into…
Cuba’s Youth Angst
On my last visit to Cuba this April 2011, I strolled the streets of Infanta, one of my favorite streets in Havana (with a few secret vinyl vendors). This last time, I walked past 3 movie theaters on the broad avenue where I noticed repeated posters of a local Cuban film called Boleto al Paraiso…