ICAIC denounces censorship of Venezuelan films in Madrid

The Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry (ICAIC) expressed its solidarity with Venezuelan filmmakers Carlos Azpúrua, Daniel Yegres and Ruben Hernández, whose works were censored by the president of the Community of Madrid Isabel Díaz Ayuso.
 
In a note published by the website Cubacine, the president of ICAIC, Alexis Triana, denounced that this authority prohibited the screening at Casa America, in the Spanish capital, of films previously exhibited and competing in the International Festival of New Latin American Cinema in Havana, last December.

Azpurua, also president of the Venezuelan National Autonomous Center of Cinematography (CENAC) and attendant to the Malaga Film Festival, explained to the Cuban film portal that one of the censored films is “Alí Primera”, by young filmmaker Daniel Yegres, which tells the life and work of this popular Venezuelan singer-songwriter.

Another of the films is “Operation Orion”, by filmmaker Ruben Hernandez, which narrates the assassination attempt of Bolivian leader Hugo Chavez by paramilitaries in the 2004 Daktari estate.

The third censored film is “La Batalla de los Puentes”, by Carlos Azpúrua, a documentary that tells the story of the attempt to forcefully enter Venezuela through the Colombian border via the city of Cúcuta in 2019 with supposed humanitarian aid.

According to the press release, as soon as they learned of the unusual decision, numerous unions, universities and other Spanish civil society organizations have communicated to organize alternative screenings to the one originally scheduled.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, on the other hand, proposed to broadcast the censored films in Spain through social media and various streaming platforms, so that they can be enjoyed at a special time by the population of that Iberian nation.