4th Urania Film Days: I Am Cuba

Director: Mihail Kalatozov

Writers: Enrique Pineda Barnet, Evgeniy Evtushenko (as Evgueny Evtushenko)
Cinematography by Sergey Urusevskiy
Editing by Nina Glagoleva
Stars: sergio Corrieri, Salvador Wood, Jose Gallardo, Raul Garcia, Jean Bouise

This study of Cuba--partially written by renowned poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko--captures the island just before it made the transition to a post-revolutionary society. Moving from city to country and back again, I AM CUBA examines the various problems caused by political oppression as well as by great discrepancies in wealth and power. Beginning in Havana in the pre-Castro era, we see how foreigners contributed to the city's prostitution and poverty; this sequence features dreamy, hallucinogenic camera work that creates a feeling of unease and dislocation. Then, in glorious images of palm tress and fertile land, the film looks at the sugar cane fields in the countryside, and the difficulties faced by peasants working the land. Finally, back in the city again, leftist students battle the police and a corrupt government--and pay a high price for their rebellion.

4th Urania Film Days Program