Thursday, April 02, 2009
Se presentara película documental "Soñar Con Cuba"
Scroll down for an English version of the column.
Ricardo Valdivieso
Ricardo Valdivieso reports on issues of interest to Spanish-speaking people in Southwest Virginia
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Summary: The documentary film of the Cuban cinematographer Juan Garcia O'Farrill will be shown at the Taubman Museum of Art on April 17 at 7:30 p.m. It explores whether Cuban exiles will ever be able to return.
El tema del retorno es algo que resuena a diario en la vida de aquellos que han dejado atrás sus países, y se han marchado en busca de una nueva vida. La primera película documental del cinematógrafo cubano Juan García O'Farrill a estrenarse en Roanoke el 17 de abril en el Taubman Museo de Arte viene a responder en parte a esa eterna interrogante: ¿es posible retornar?
La película documental "Soñar Con Cuba" nos lleva al año 2004, cuando García O'Farrill logra presentar en el Jefferson Center al músico cubano Israel Sardiñas y su orquesta "Havana Son Band." Para entonces García O'Farrill tenía ya delineado el guión de lo que vendría a ser su primera película documental, sin aun imaginarse que una serie de dificultades técnicas solo le permitiría rescatar solo segmentos de la filmación realizada durante el espectáculo. Desde ese entonces la producción de su documental lo ha llevado junto su esposa Lucía García de regreso a Cuba en dos ocasiones, e innumerables viajes a Florida, durante los cuales ha sido posible realizar las filmaciones que hoy constituyen su obra.
García O'Farrill, de la misma manera que Israel Sardinas, se aleja de Cuba optando por el exilio, debido principalmente a la situación política de su país. García O'Farrill es detenido en su primer intento por salir del país, y después de un juicio, permanece un año en presidio político; corría entonces el año 1968. En 1994 es nuevamente detenido, pero ahora es en alta mar, en una embarcación que lo trasladaba al exilio en los Estados Unidos. Después de 8 meses detención por las autoridades Norte Americanas en Guantánamo logra obtener refugio político y se radica finalmente en la ciudad de Roanoke. Israel Sardiñas sale de Cuba en 1983 en su tercera gira artística; ya en México decide no regresar a Cuba, optando permanecer en el exilio. Al no regresar a Cuba en el tiempo acordado con las autoridades de su país estas le imponen la exclusión permanente del territorio nacional. En los Estados Unidos Israel Sardiñas continua con su trabajo artístico, y durante una estadía en Nueva York cambia su nombre; desde ese entonces será conocido como Israel Kantor; atrás quedaron los años con el conjunto musical los "Van Van," e inicia una nueva era en su vida artística, colaborando en diferentes proyectos artísticos, hasta finalmente integrarse a la " Orquesta Tropicana All Stars." A pesar de su nueva fortaleza artística en el exilio, Israel Kantor mantiene en su memoria las imágenes de Cuba, y repetidamente insiste en el derecho a retornar a su país, pero las puertas del regreso a Cuba se mantienen por largos años herméticamente cerradas. Finalmente, Garcia O'Farrill en su trabajo documental le ofrece a Israel Kantor la oportunidad de regresar a la Habana, Cuba; es un retorno diferente, más bien simbólico; un homenaje a quien nunca ha podido, o ha querido olvidar su tierra y su gente, y lo traslada en imagen y sonido. Por las calles de la Habana aquellos que se detienen a escuchar su música, y otros mientras cantan al unísono, le envían saludos y sobre todo deseos de un pronto regreso y reencuentro con su gente y su cultura.
El estreno de la película documental "Soñar Con Cuba" se realizara el día 17 de abril a las 7:30 de la tarde en el Taubman Museo de Arte ubicado en el 110 de la Avenida Salem, en Roanoke.
For English version, go online at roanoke.com/columnist
English Translation
The Premiere of the Documentary Film "To Dream of Cuba"
By:Ricardo Valdivieso
The theme of returning to one's home is something that resounds daily in the lives of those who have left their countries behind in search of a new life. The documentary film of the Cuban cinematographer Juan Garcia O'Farrill to be premiered in Roanoke on April 17th at the Taubman Museum of Art responds in part to the eternal question: is it possible to return?
The documentary "To Dream of Cuba" originated in 2004 when Garcia O'Farrill presented the Cuban Israel Sardiñas and his orchestra "Havana Son Band" at the Jefferson Center. By that time, Garcia O'Farrill had a preliminary script of what would become his first documentary, without imagining that a series of technical difficulties would allow him to rescue only a few segments of the film of that concert. Since then, the production of his documentary brought him and his wife Lucia Garcia to Cuba on two occasions, and to Florida many times during which he completed the filming of "To Dream of Cuba".
Garcia O'Farrill and Israel Sardiñas both left Cuba opting for exile due to the political situation in their country. Garcia O'Farrill was detained in his first attempt to leave the country and after a trial, he remained in a political prison for twelve months. The year was 1968. In 1994 he was again detained, this time on the high seas in a boat that was transporting him to exile in the United States. After eight months of detention by the North American authorities in Guantanamo, he was able to obtain political refuge, and finally settled in the city of Roanoke. Israel Sardiñas left Cuba in 1983 on his third artistic tour. While in Mexico he decided not to return to Cuba, choosing exile instead. Due to the fact that he did not return to Cuba as agreed upon with the authorities, he was permanently excluded from his homeland. In the United States, Sardiñas continued his artistic work and during a visit to New York he changed his name: he would be known as Israel Kantor. Behind him were the years with the band "Los Van Van" and a new era had begun in his artistic life collaborating with different projects until he joined the "Tropicana All Stars" orchestra. Despite his newfound artistic strength, Israel Kantor kept the images of Cuba in his memory and repeatedly insisted on his right to return to his country, but the doors to return stayed tightly closed. Finally, Garcia O'Farrill in his documentary work offered Kantor a return to Havana Cuba, but it is a different return, symbolic in nature and an homage to one who has never been able to forget his homeland and his people, transported in images and sounds. In the streets of Havana, those who stop to listen to his music while others sing along, send him greetings and, above all, wishes for a prompt return and reencounter with his people and his culture.
The premiere of "To Dream of Cuba" will be held on April 17th at 7:30 pm in the Taubman Musem of Art, located at 110 Salem Avenue in Roanoke.
