I Am Cuba (1964)

Four vignettes about the lives of the Cuban people set during the pre-revolutionary era.

Director:

Mikhail Kalatozov (as Mijail Kalatozov)

Writers:

Enrique Pineda Barnet, Evgeniy Evtushenko (as Evgueny Evtushenko)

Stars:

Sergio Corrieri, Salvador Wood, José Gallardo

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sergio Corrieri	...	Alberto
Salvador Wood
José Gallardo	...	Pedro
Raúl García	...	Enrique
Luz María Collazo	...	Maria / Betty
Jean Bouise	...	Jim (in Cuban version) (as Jean Bouisse)
Alberto Morgan
Celia Rodriguez	...	Gloria (in Cuban version) (as Zilia Rodríguez)
Fausto Mirabal
Roberto García York	...	American activist
María de las Mercedes Díez
Bárbara Domínguez
Jesús del Monte	...	(as Isis del Monte)
Luisa María Jiménez	...	Teresa
Mario González Broche	...	Pablo (in Cuban version) (as Mario González)

Storyline

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.

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Plot Keywords:

nudity | sex | bathing beauty | title spoken by narrator | first person title | 

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Genres:

Drama | History | War

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Mr Bongo Films

Country:

Cuba Soviet Union

Language:

Spanish English

Release Date:

December 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

I Am Cuba

Filming Locations:

Habana & Cuarteles, Havana, Cuba

Box Office

Gross USA:

$168,100

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$274,098

Company Credits

Production Co:

Instituto Cubano del Arte e Industrias Cinematográficos (ICAIC), Mosfilm

Technical Specs

Runtime:

141 min (2005 restored Spanish) 141 min (1964 original) 141 min (2019 Milestone Restoration)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Both the Soviets and the Cubans were disappointed in the film. In Cuba, it is referred to as "I am NOT Cuba". They never felt it was a portrait of themselves - but, rather a depiction of Cuba imposed on them by the Soviet Union. Soviet Union wanted to make a straight-forward propaganda film. They felt the director Mikhail Kalatozov made an 'art' film instead.

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Quotes

Enrique: We're just going to go on sitting here with our hands folded?
Alberto: No Enrique, we won't just be sitting around.
Enrique: That fat murderer is going to keep killing our comrades.

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Connections

Referenced in The Mark (2017)

User Reviews

Yes, it is the Best Cinematography

That I've ever seen, and I watch a lot of movies. The story is propaganda, to be sure, and some of the acting is horrible, but WOW! I couldn't take my eyes off of it. Shot after stunning shot....I don't know how they did it, but I didn't mind all the rhetoric because I kept thinking, "Look, that's so beautiful" and "Wow, how did they do that?" I do recommend it also as a historical document of a time most people don't remember....I was born the year it was made and remember "the Communist Threat" but I think a lot of people younger than myself may not remember.

Not to mention that yes, some of the music was also amazing. A must see for any serious film buff.