Probably most striking to non cuban viewers is the film s serious and sensitive treatment of gay characters in a cuban film set during a period in the countrys history when antigay sentiment and discrimination ran especially high. Strawberry and chocolate if you know the film strawberry and chocolate then you have to go there for diner. Apr 17, 1996 strawberry and chocolate, the first cuban film with an openly gay main character, was a major boxoffice success in cuba, the united states and other countries. Strawberry and chocolate and cubas just deserts by pamela.
The film fresa y chocolate opened in cuba in the year 1993 and within the space of a few months became one of the biggest boxoffice successes for tomas gutierrez alea, one of latin americas celebrated and cuba s most revered filmmakers. Film festival artistic director david ansen, the program will feature film clips, an onstage panel discussion with visiting cuban directors, and a screening of strawberry and chocolate 1994, cuba s only best foreign language film oscar nominee to date. Fresa y chocolate takes up the controversy of determining the role of the intellectual in the cuban revolution during the seventies and eighties. This oscar nominated film is the story of two men who are opposites, one gay, the other straight, one a fierce communist, the other a fierce individualist, one suspicious, the other accepting, and how they come to love each other. Flamboyantly gay artist diego jorge perugorria attempts to seduce the straight and straitlaced david, an idealistic young communist, and fails dismally. Strawberry and chocolate cuba silkscreen poster for cuban movie with gay hero. The film has been controversial because its the film cuban film that deals directly, and with some honesty, about the gay experience under castro. The cuban film, fresa y chocolate, is the story of friendship between a young student a loyal member of the communist party, and a gay political activist, who. Tomas gutierrez alea, cuban film maker, 69 the new york times.
Fresa y chocolate is an internationally coproduced film. The film fresa y chocolate strawberry and chocolate is only 20 years old, yet its already a film classic, capable of touching the core of human souls, pitting individuals against their own prejudices. Alea is considered to be the most important cuban film director. Diego chooses to eat strawberry instead of chocolate icecream like david who is a straight man as diego is a happy, openly gay man who does not wish to hide it, this is how he can express himself and feel free, whereas davids freedom is regulated by the government. Strawberry and chocolate fresa y chocolate this classic cuban film tells the story of a friendship between a young student member of the communist party, and a gay political activist, who is critical of the governments censorship. But david conspires to become friends with diego so he can monitor the artists subversive life for the state. It has been nominated for 1995 oscars and won 22 other awards in berlin international film festival, sundance film festival and havana film festival. Strawberry and chocolate 1994 stream and watch online. Most of you probably know about the film strawberry and chocolate, the first cuban film to deal openly and directly with homosexuality. Cuban director and screenwriter, juan carlos tabio codirected the film strawberry and chocolate 1993 with the great director tomas gutierrez alea titon, winning a silver bear at the 44th berlin international film festival. Strawberry and chocolate this comedy from cuba is a gem. Its basically a challenge to the revolutions narrow vision of what it means to be a good cuban or a good revolutionary and whether a gay man can be one.
With jorge perugorria, vladimir cruz, mirta ibarra, francisco gattorno. The impact of the film came out of the need of the country and of cuban cinema to address an issue that had been taboo up until then. We could not pass the 20 years of strawberry and chocolate. Typically, a few hundred copies are made for each film, although the runs have been as low as 50. As a sensitive comedydrama, strawberry and chocolate explores gay issues at a time when cuba s citizens were being asked to become less judgmental and more tolerant toward each other. Directed by tomas gutierrez alea, juan carlos tabio. The film was also nominated for the academy award for best foreign language film, the first cuban film to be.
Strawberry and chocolate became an instant hit when it was released, and has become a classic of cuban cinema due to its charming and authentic exploration of a connection between two people under historical circumstances that seem levelled against them. The construct of a true revolutionary in fresa y chocolate. Available from in the next video i knew he was a homosexual, david vladimir cruz says of diego jorge perugorria, there was. Mar 17, 2009 the most widely known example is strawberry and chocolate, a collaboration with juan carlos tabio, which came about due to the aleas illhealth. Oct 08, 2005 this yearning is one of the premises of tomas gutierrez alea and juan carlos tabios 1994 film strawberry and chocolate. Strawberry and chocolate inaugurated a new era in cuban society and film production, with social acceptance of new forms of cuban. Jan 04, 2015 if you know the film strawberry and chocolate then you have to go there for diner. As diego and david discuss politics, individuality and personal expression in castros cuba, a genuine. One of the most popular movies that come out of this time period is called fresa y chocolate 1994, strawberry and chocolate. At the time, strawberry and chocolate was notable for being the first cuban film with an overtly gay character, but the ideas it raises about sexualities both gay and straight seem to me just as.
Other articles where strawberry and chocolate is discussed. The icecream is used as a metaphor through the film. In examining the underlying ideology of the film as a cultural text, i argue that strawberry and chocolate serves as both a challenge to and a perpetuation of myths about cuban national identity. The crisis of identity in postrevolutionary cuban film.
Strawberry and chocolate cuba silkscreen poster for. Strawberry and chocolate, the first cuban film with an openly gay main character, was a major boxoffice success in cuba, the united states and other countries. The movie has been directed by tomas gutierrez alea, at 72 the greatest of cubas filmmakers and one of its most contradictory. The title refers to ice cream flavours the pink strawberry is a. Set in 1979, the film depicts the journeys of diego and david, two very different individuals, but each a revolutionary in his own right. Feature films comedy films foreign films motion pictures, cuban. It was directed by tomas gutierrez alea and juan carlos tabio. The marxist movie series, continues july 26th with a screening of one of socialist cubas most popular films. One of the most notable cuban films in the recent years was fresa y chocolate strawberry and chocolate 1993 by tomas gutierrez alea and juan carlos tabio. Strawberry and chocolate movingly depicts the budding relationship between two men against the backdrop of a pivotal moment in cuban history. As of 2020, it remains the only cuban film to be nominated for an oscar.
The success of this movie can be partially explained by the way the film elicits multiple recognition from the cuban viewer and that it makes the viewer thinklook at the film. Vladimir cruz and jorge perugorria in strawberry and chocolate 1993. However, it is cuban society itself that is ultimately being seduced in this remarkable statesponsored film. The film, strawberry and chocolate, is uniquely cuban because it addresses the cuban revolution. Strawberry and chocolate film analysis art psychosis.
Generally regarded as cuba s foremost director, mr. Strawberry and chocolate, the story of a friendship between two very different cuban men, is the most audiencefriendly movie to date by cubas bestknown director, tomas gutierrez alea memories. Diego, a cultivated, homosexual and skeptical young man, falls in love with a young heterosexual communist full of prejudices and doctrinary ideas. Strawberry and chocolate fresa y chocolate this classic cuban film tells the story of a friendship between a young student member of the communist party, and a gay political. Strawberry and chocolate see more filming locations. Strawberry and chocolate is not a movie about the seduction of a body, but about the seduction of a mind. Wells, founder and executive director of the center for the study of political graphics and curator of the hollywood in havana. Strawberry and chocolate 1993 strawberry and chocolate. See more goofs the blue cadillac seen at the end of the film was not made until the 1987 model year. If youre a fan of the movie strawberry and chocolate you might get some chills walking in the building. Fresa y chocolate strawberry and chocolate variety. This oscar nominated film is the story of two men who are opposites, one gay, the other.
First, it presents a balanced and somewhat critical view of the cuban political system. And, although the film is set in communist cuba and is about a gay man, you can enjoy the film regardless of your orientation political or sexual. Cuban film strawberry and chocolate to screen in l. Strawberry and chocolate and cuba s just deserts by pamela. Fresa y chocolate is an internationally co produced film. Diego, a homosexual, religious intellectual, and david, an activist in. Filled with malicious swipes against the castro regime, its a provocative but very humane comedy about sexual opposites. Filled with malicious swipes against the castro regime, its a provocative but very humane comedy about sexual. Strawberry and chocolate is the first cuban movie in decades to receive a widespread international release, a fact that only makes its subject matter more curious.
Strawberry and chocolate, gutierrez aleas penultimate film, follows two protagonists. In havana, is no longer necessary to choose between one and another flavor. However, because cinematic representations give meaning to the. Cuba collection course reserves unit media reserves language spanish physical description 1 videocassette 104 min. David vladimir cruz is a student and ardent communist whose personal life is in something of a slump. Aleas tropical, topical strawberry dips into castro. Strawberry and chocolate movingly depicts the budding relationship between two men against the backdrop of a pivotal moment in cuban. Diego initially lures david to the apartment with a. The film was about a homosexual artist named diego who tries to lure a heterosexual man named david. Helmed by legendary cuban director tomas gutierrez alea and based on a story by senel paz, fresa y chocolate was the first cuban film to be nominated for an oscar best foreign language film of 1995. It is the best cuban film, or at least, one of the beast.
The cuban film, fresa y chocolate, is the story of friendship between a young student a loyal member of the communist party, and a gay political activist, who is critical of the governments censorship. However, it is the critique of cuban society as it stands and the glimpse into a decaying havana which make gutierrez aleas film so pointed and topical. The film was also nominated for the academy award for best foreign language film, the first cuban film to be nominated. Strawberry and chocolate, the first cuban film with an openly gay main character, was a major boxoffice success in cuba. Strawberry and chocolate fresa y chocolate 1994 rotten. Jul 02, 2009 at the time, strawberry and chocolate was notable for being the first cuban film with an overtly gay character, but the ideas it raises about sexualities both gay and straight seem to me just as. Strawberry and chocolate movingly depicts the budding relationship between two. Strawberry and chocolate was a hit in cuba, where it was reportedly the first film with a gay hero and where its critique of government intolerance was obviously a more volatile subject than it. Strawberry and chocolate is a cuban film that was nominated for the best foreign language oscarlosing to burnt by the sun my personal favorite was eat, drink, man, woman. On a sunny day in 1979 a young gay man, diego, zeros in on david, a university student, sitting alone in a havana outdoor cafe, eating chocolate ice cream. A superb cuban film from 1993, a little classic about gay freedom and its.
Strawberry and chocolate 1993 this oscar nominated film is the story of two men who are opposites, one gay, the other straight, one a fierce communist, the other a fierce individualist, one suspicious, the other accepting, and how they come to love each other. Strawberry and chocolate fresa y chocolate critics consensus. Gutierrez alea was a controversial film maker who found a wide popular audience. Sep 24, 1994 strawberry and chocolate was a hit in cuba, where it was reportedly the first film with a gay hero and where its critique of government intolerance was obviously a more volatile subject than it. The construct of a true revolutionary in fresa y chocolate movie poster framing the contrasting characters. Additionally, strawberry and chocolate was the first cuban film to present the audience with a homosexual character diego. Strawberry and chocolate letterboxd your life in film. Strawberry and chocolate is a movie that examines what it means to be cuban. A brief plot description will facilitate the ensuing discussion. Strawberry and chocolate and the oscar cuban art news. My order consisted of roasted rabbit medallions, yuca fries, and a creamy, multilayered mango dessert. Jul 20, 2018 cuban film strawberry and chocolate to screen in l. For alea however, it is more a film about tolerance than it is a call for gay rights. Fresa y chocolate strawberry and chocolate this new comedy from cuba is a gem.
It is more interested in politics than sex unless you count sexual politics, since to be homosexual in cuba is to make an antiauthoritarian statement whether you intend it or not. In strawberry and chocolate opening today at the gateway, a delicate new film from cuban director tomas gutierrez alea memories of underdevelopment, diego jorge perrugoria is more than a. Tomas gutierrez alea, cuban film maker, 69 the new york. The story is set in 1979, a year before the upheaval of the mariel boatlift. Strawberry and chocolate and cubas just deserts the. The cine cuba festival 50 years of cuban cinema from 1959 to the present begins today at londons barbican cinema prior to a national tour. Strawberry and chocolate, which won the 1994 berlin international film festivals special jury prize and was nominated for an academy award as best foreign language film. Strawberry and chocolate, who is the most explicitly marginalized character of any of the films of this study.
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