"Suite Habana"

[redflagantifa]

Have folks seen this movie by famous Cuban filmmaker Fernando Perez? This is by far my favourite Cuban movie, and perhaps my favourite film of all time. I've heard applause of it from both socialists, and gusanos alike (it's quite an example of beauty being in the eye of the beholder). This movie blew me away when I saw it for the first time, and even more the second time around. It's a strong statement, in my opinion, on the endurance and dignity of the Cuban people in the face of economic blockade, and a declaration that victory over this temporary U.S.-led injustice will arrive one way or another due to the strength of those on the island. It's easy to label something like "Suite Habana" as an indictment against a people's government which is surviving (and winning) the Battle of Ideas against all odds. It's more of a challenge, and one I think we should take on, to optimistically embrace the beauty and quality of life demonstrated in the film, and align that within the successes and persiverence of the Revolution.

[aguacate]

That's the first time I've ever heard the term 'Battle of Ideas' outside of direct Cuban propaganda - well done!

I haven't seen the movie but would very much like to. It was on my list of thinks to buy from the Cuban DVD store on eBay, thanks for reminding me.

[viajera]

jajajajajajajaaaa red you crack me up!

SUITE HABANA is indeed a wonderful film and one that everyone should see. (I certainly wouldn't nominate it as my favourite Cuban film ever, let alone best film ever, though.) I think it's a lot more complicated than the way you view it, and crucial to that is its central and utterly outrageous (in a creative way) conceit: to make a cuban film with NO TALKING!

This is of course a fairly radical decision in itself and one which gives you an idea of how carefully and aesthetically the film is shaped. Whatever it is, it is NOT a spontaneous doctumentary of Cuban life as it is actually lived (AND SHOUTED AND GOSSIPPED AND YELLED AND SUNG.) And I read that as a very cunning and intelligent decision by the director to simply sidestep the issue of working within a censored system and a situation where everything you do artistically gets dragged into the Havana/Miami grudge match.

On one level the film does not sidestep the sheer decay and difficulty of Cuban daily life. Yet some rather magical things, by Cuban standards, happen ... like the sudden and unexplained appearance of several sacks of cement, several crews of construction workers seeming to work rather hard ... families appearing to eat two cooked meals a day, with meat ... stuff like that (/sarcasm off).

what was your understanding, for instance, of the cutting from the sequence of a man leaving for the US at the airport, and his tearful family, to one of a remaining Cuban acting as a clown for children and giving them a cuban flag? couldn't help thinking there was something going on there.

Yet the final subtitles are wrenching and I think do not soft pedal reality at all.
All in all for me it is a fascinating enigma of a film and I would really love to talk to the director in private about what he was really getting at.

[redflagantifa]

jajajajajajajaaaa red you crack me up!

SUITE HABANA is indeed a wonderful film and one that everyone should see. (I certainly wouldn't nominate it as my favourite Cuban film ever, let alone best film ever, though.) I think it's a lot more complicated than the way you view it, and crucial to that is its central and utterly outrageous (in a creative way) conceit: to make a cuban film with NO TALKING!

This is of course a fairly radical decision in itself and one which gives you an idea of how carefully and aesthetically the film is shaped. Whatever it is, it is NOT a spontaneous doctumentary of Cuban life as it is actually lived (AND SHOUTED AND GOSSIPPED AND YELLED AND SUNG.) And I read that as a very cunning and intelligent decision by the director to simply sidestep the issue of working within a censored system and a situation where everything you do artistically gets dragged into the Havana/Miami grudge match.

On one level the film does not sidestep the sheer decay and difficulty of Cuban daily life. Yet some rather magical things, by Cuban standards, happen ... like the sudden and unexplained appearance of several sacks of cement, several crews of construction workers seeming to work rather hard ... families appearing to eat two cooked meals a day, with meat ... stuff like that (/sarcasm off).

what was your understanding, for instance, of the cutting from the sequence of a man leaving for the US at the airport, and his tearful family, to one of a remaining Cuban acting as a clown for children and giving them a cuban flag? couldn't help thinking there was something going on there.

Yet the final subtitles are wrenching and I think do not soft pedal reality at all.
All in all for me it is a fascinating enigma of a film and I would really love to talk to the director in private about what he was really getting at.

I crack you up?

Maybe you shouldn't so readily laugh at others - as your own "middle of the road" approach is the same sort of funny wishy washy lack of allegiance to anything which results in the apathy and sideline observation contribution that characterizes the west and our abudance of social ills, which dwarf anything Cuba has as a result of internal miscalculations.

You make the birthday party scene and the airport scene some sort of negative thing, no matter how you look at it. Why are you leaving out two equally important parts? One being a cheering crowd of children with the Cuban flag, and then at the end the wishes of the man who left to be reunited with his family. The scene depicted extreme sadness over departure, and joy and celebration over the homeland. Trying to twist it into a jab at the state is pretty weak.

I don't know how much contact you have with ordinary Cubans when you visit the island, but family means everything to us. And let me tell you this - very, very few people willingly choose to leave. Necessity and survival as a result of external economic forces are the underlying base of reasons for the majority - not imaginary hostile political differences.

[Superflydman]

Does anyone know of a cuban painter, deceased, who was born in Cuba and died in Puerto Rico by the name of Rafael Muzio-Diaz? I have a piece of his and am looking for more and information abou the artist. I am also looking for works and info on 2 other cuban painters, both deceased, Armando Oliva Robain (signed paitings Oliva Robain) and Maria Luisa Rios. Also If some one could be so kind as to copy and past this as a Nw Post under the title "Looking for info on 3 deceased Cuban Artists", I would really appreciate it because I don't knwo how to create a New Post Thread. Thank you all!!!