settima

Cuba

Soy Cuba [I Am Cuba] (Mikhail Kalatozov, 1964)

Jul

10

Soy Cuba (1964)

The rich and beautiful spend a lazy day at a grand rooftop pool. DP: Sergey Urusevskiy.

Someone in poolside vacation clothing*

“I am Cuba. Why are you running away? You came here to have fun? Go ahead, have fun! Is this a happy picture? Don't avert your eyes. Look! I am Cuba. For you, I am the casino, the bar, the hotels. But the hands of these children and old people, are also me.”

– the voice of Cuba

La última cena [The Last Supper] (Tomás Gutiérrez Alea, 1976)

Apr

18

Good Friday

La última cena (1976)

The count, Christ, flanked by two of his slaves, John and Thomas respectively. DP: Mario García Joya.

Good Friday: an occurrence during a Friday or weekend.

 

During Holy Week, a count visits his sugar mill on the day one of his slaves has escaped. Reluctant, overseer Don Manuel picks twelve slaves to join the count at his dinner table for a lecture about the possibility of happiness in slavery, all made up to resemble the Last Supper, with the count as Christ and the slaves as his apostles. Then conversation picks up, and the slaved men request, and are granted, a day off on Good Friday.

La noche de los Inocentes [Night of the Innocents] (Arturo Sotto Díaz, 2007)

Dec

28

La noche de los Inocentes (2007)

The cast in the hospital. Lighting and stances appear theatre-like. DP: Ernesto Granado.

Hanoi, martes 13 [Hanoi, Tuesday 13th] (Santiago Álvarez, 1968)

Dec

13

Tue

Hanoi, martes 13 (1968)

A collage image of President Lyndon B. Johnson. His face is a hole and footage of a military burial service can be seen. DP: Iván Nápoles.