Post-revolution Cuban Cinema
Post-revolution Cuban cinema (1960s-1970s) was established by the ICAIC (Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry) in 1959 to create a, new, decolonized national culture, blending revolutionary ideology with artistic experimentation. It was marked the "Golden Age" (or Década de Oro) of Cuban cinema, characterized by a fusion of avant-garde techniques, political fervor, and the creation of a national identity. Key films like Memories of Underdevelopment (1968) and Lucía (1969) gained international acclaim for their innovative, critical, and often reflexive styles, driven by directors like Alea and Solás.
Key Aspects of the Era
The ICAIC: Founded March 24, 1959, as the first major cultural act of the revolution, it monopolized production and distribution to promote cinema as an educational tool.
"Imperfect Cinema": A key philosophy articulated by Julio García Espinosa in 1969, emphasizing that cinema should not be a polished product but "imperfect" in form to better reflect the complex, and often messy, realities of popular struggle.
Technical Innovation: Filmmakers utilized mobile projection units (cine móvil) to bring cinema to remote rural areas for the first time.
Documentary Focus: Early efforts were heavily documentary-driven (e.g., Santiago Álvarez), documenting the transformation of Cuban society and the struggle against the Batista regime.
Key Themes: Focused on agrarian reform, literacy, anti-imperialism, the role of women, and re-evaluating Cuban history.
Third Cinema: Cuban cinema was a leading force in this global movement, aiming to subvert Hollywood "escapism" and use film as a lens for political truth.
Cultural Decolonization: Films focused on breaking away from Spanish and US cultural dominance to forge a distinct national identity, often using historical narratives to justify the revolution.
Poster Art: The period saw a flourish in printmaking, with artistic film posters by creators like Alfredo Rostgaard becoming iconic cultural artifacts.
The 1970s Shift: While the 1960s were experimental, the 1970s saw a move toward more traditional narratives and a focus on "bread-and-butter" social issues, though significant films like La última cena (1976) were still produced.
Iconic Directors & Films:
TOMÁS GUTIÉRRES ALEA
- The Twelve Chairs (1962)
- Death of a Bureaucrat (1966)
- Memories of Underdevelopment (1968)
HUMBERTO SOLÁS
- Lucía (1968)
SARA GÓMEZ
- One Way or Another (1977)
SANTIAGO ÁLVAREZ
- Now (1965)
- Hanoi, Tuesday 13tth (1968)