In 2006 I picked up a video camera and after learning a little bit about sound recording I started to make some short documentaries about life in Cuba. With the help of talented editors I have completed two films and embarked on a third.
The Art of Survival
This is a clip from a trailer of a work currently in production with Cuban American filmmaker Hugo Perez (www.m30afilms.com). It tells the story of about an alternative art space in Havana that has fought to maintain its independence despite pressures from the authorities.
Flowers for San Lazaro
Flowers for San Lazaro is a short exploration of the concept of religious faith in Cuba—where hope is currently in short supply. It follows a Cuban family as they make their annual pilgrimage to the shrine of San Lazaro on the outskirts of Havana on the night of December 16th.The film shows that Saint Lazarus is a contested figure, whose identity and meaning may be different to people of different cultural backgrounds, even within Cuba. This video played in numerous festivals and won a Best Short Documentary prize at the Tallahassee Film Festival in 2009.
The Tomatoes of Discord
This first effort was screened at the Woodstock film festival in 2008 and is a documentary snapshot of the Cuban economy at work; chaos ensues when a Cuban couple goes to stockpile groceries at a big open-air market in Havana.
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