On March 14, NYWIFT sponsored a night of short films made by Cuban women filmmakers at the Tribeca Film Center, part of a weeklong showcase held at locations across NYC.
The films:
Blanco Es Mi Pelo, Negra Mi Piel (White Is My Hair, Black Is My Skin) by Marina Ochoa
Derecho de Ser (The Right to Be) by Claudia Rojas
El Pez De La Torre Nada En El Asfalto (The Fish of the Tower Swims on the Asphalt) by Adriana Fernandez Castellanos
Pasajes Del Corazón Y La Memoria (Cherished Island Memories) by Gloria Rolando
Uno Al Otro (One Another) by Milena Almira
A Q&A moderated by Naomi Foner (Director, Very Good Girls) followed. Foner pointed out that while the films provided insight into the lives of Cubans, the most interesting aspect was that they showed how much of life is universal and not tied to culture.
During the Q&A, director Milena Almira shared that while it’s more difficult to make films as a woman in Cuba, that being a woman is a unique biological experience that cannot help but inform her art in a different way than for a man.
A few more highlights:
Uno Al Otro, a beautiful film reminiscent of video artist Vito Acconci, follows the romantic relationship of a young woman and a hearing impaired man. The film interviews the couple while showing the challenges in their relationship due to his disability, but also the inevitable conflicts between men and women.
A riveting documentary, Blanco Es Mi Pelo, Negra Mi Piel explores the life of 95-year-old María de los Reyes Castillo (Reyita), a family matriarch and a symbol of the changes that Cuba has gone through in the past 100 years.
In the black and white short film El Pez De La Torre Nada En El Asfalto, a man wrestles with his writer’s block as his wife complains about the heat in their cramped apartment and their son watches TV.
The Cuban directors showcased are all up-and-coming talents to watch. You can watch one of the short above; if you can catch the rest online or at a screening or festival, you won’t be disappointed. — MICHELE ST JOHN
nywift
Related Posts
Disney+ Celebrates National Pet Day with Heartwarming New Documentary “Pets” Directed by Bryce Dallas Howard
Disney+ is tugging at the heartstrings this National Pet Day with the premiere of its latest original documentary, Pets, debuting April 11. Directed by Bryce Dallas Howard, the film dives into the extraordinary relationships that exist between humans and their animals — no matter the species, no matter the place. In our exclusive interview, Bryce Dallas Howard shared how the collaboration with Imagine Documentaries — and her father Ron Howard — helped bring her vision to life. Along with aspects which will make audiences interested in watching even if they are not pet owners and more!
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Melody Gilbert
Welcome to our new NYWIFT member, Melody Gilbert! Melody is an Emmy-nominated and Alfred I. duPont award-winning documentary filmmaker. Over the course of her career, Melody has directed and produced 20 documentaries that have been screened at several film festivals and distributed internationally. Melody is also an educator committed to teaching new and emerging filmmakers. She has been on the faculty at several universities (including the American University in Bulgaria), teaching documentary production, multimedia, and journalism. Currently, Melody is traveling the world and spreading her love for film by teaching pitch training workshops and conducting her “Documentary Boot Camp” while working on her new documentary about the scandalous topless monokini bathing suit in 1964. The most recent documentary she helped produce, Queendom, was shortlisted for an Oscar in the feature documentary category. In our interview, Melody discusses her move from chilly Minnesota to NYC, her unconventional documentary subjects, and key lessons she shares with film students.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Amanda Deering Jones
Welcome to NYWIFT, Amanda Deering Jones! Amanda Deering Jones is the director of the new short film Little Mother Lies. She is also the Producer of the Academy Award-nominated animated short film Borrowed Time. She has over 20 years of experience working with Dreamworks Animation and Blue Sky Studios and is currently at Pixar. Her career began in Cooperstown, NY, as House Manager at Glimmerglass Opera before transitioning to film. Amanda is a zero-waste advocate and a published writer for the Producer’s Guild Magazine. She is an active member of the Producers Guild of America, Women in Film, Women in Animation, a Governor of the Emmy’s Northwest Chapter Board, and now a NYWIFT member. Amanda discusses her theatrical roots, getting into animation (without drawing!), and how she creates work that elevates our thinking and highlights the complexities of being human!
READ MORENYWIFT Program Recap: “Daughters” at Hamptons Doc Fest
In December 2024, NYWIFT was proud to co-present a screening of the new documentary "Daughters" at Hamptons Doc Fest, followed by a Q&A with filmmakers Angela Patton and Natalie Rae moderated by NYWIFT CEO Cynthia Lopez. In this powerful documentary, four girls prepare to reunite with their fathers through a special dance at a DC jail in this moving documentary about the healing power of love. We offer a recap of the conversation plus a video of the Q&A to watch after you've seen the film, which is now available on Netflix.
READ MORE
