Cuban Low Budget Film Festival Loyal to Spirit of Founder

The current president of the event, actor Jorge Perugorria, said that he now wants to recover the essence sowed by Solas in this festival, that was to create a space where the works of young filmmakers and artists could be seen.

Another Sola's wish was to promote the auteur cinema, or low budget, quality films, noted Perugorria.

The event will not only be devoted to cinema, but it is also expected to become an interactive project, and we want to maintain that idea that turned the festival into one of the most important in Cuba, he added.

The idea of this festival for low budget cinema emerged when Humberto Solas was shooting Miel para Oshun (Honey for Oshun) in the eastern city of Gibara, and this was the first thing that came to my mind when I assumed the presidency of the event, he noted.

More than 400 works were presented for this festival, many of them from Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, colombia, Venezuela, the United States, Canada, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, and Cuba, the host.

"Venecia", "La Pared de las Palabras," "Cafe Amargo" and "La Obra del Siglo" are among Cuban films in contest. For the first time, there will be a guest country, Mexico, with a large presence in the festival, including Monica Lozano, the producer of the film "Amores Perros", which will be screened.

A highlight of the event will be the screening of Mexican fiction films and documentaries of Ojo de Agua, an organization from Oaxaca that promotes indigenous and community comunication by producing radio and video cultural programs.

A section will be dedicated to the founder of the festival, Humberto Solas, and his films "Manuela"(1966) and "Miel para Oshun" will be screened.

As a tribute to late Cuban filmmaker Rogelio Parism who died recently, his documentary "Nosotros, la Musica"(1964) will be screened.

Participants will also enjoy "The Huesped" (The Guest, 1967) by Eduardo Manet, the first film shot in Gibara.

Francisco Cespedes, David Torrens, Carlos Varela, Kelvis Ochoa and the group Nube Roja will be among Cuban artists invited to concerts. Theater performances, exhibits, meetings, workshops and theoretical panels will also be among activities of this festival.

Perugorria referred to the impact of this festival on the development of Gibara and the lives of its inhabitants.

Gibara, considered the White Village of Cuban cinema, is in the province of Holguin, 743 km east of Havana. It is also known as the Village of Crabs.