Lights! Camera! Revolution! - film from Russia and Cuba

I've written before about the role of Trades Union Councils in promoting (or should that be

fomenting) working class and left political culture. Another example is taking place this weekend in Dumfries.

There, the local TUC (what we used to call Trades Councils) in association with the Robert Burns Centre Film Theatre, is screening a small film festival to mark the centenary of the Russian Revolution.

Called Representing Revolution the first film - At Home among Strangers - screens tonight and then we have another 5 films including Eisenstein's October, screened with The End of Saint Petersburg, and Warren Beatty's Reds. The films are introduced and illustrated by a variety of talks by prominent academics. The Morning Star (also a partner in this project) has a fuller description here.

Tickets are available from the Robert Burns Centre here.

If the Russian Revolution is not your bag (all that snow and ice) how about a revolution performed in the somewhat warmer climes of the Caribbean? The Third Havana Glasgow Film Festival is coming up in Havana's twin city on the Clyde.

This year concentrated into an extended weekend the Festival has concentrated on bringing the stars and filmmakers over from Cuba to speak to their creations. Starting from Thursday 9 November with Jonal Cosculluela here to talk about his film Esteban - about a 9-year-old's determination to learn the piano - this year's festival also welcomes Luis Alberto Garcia, star of films like - Ya no es Antes - the premiere of this film about a couple split by emigration, and Clandestinos - a love story set against the last days of the revolution against Batista.

Dr Aleida Guevara March

Other Cuban friends arriving are Che Guevara's daughter, Aleida, in Glasgow as part of a UK-wide speaking tour on the 50th Anniversary of her father's assassination.  In addition to the rally organised by the Scottish Cuba Solidarity Campaign, she will take time out to discuss two films-San Ernesto nace en La Higuera - about the impact of Che's death amongst the Bolivian villagers in the area - and The Man Behind the Myth - on Che's compadre. Fidel. HGFF's Cuban co-director, Hugo Rivalta flies in tomorrow (Saturday)!

The HGFF website has details of these and many other films (me? I'm lookng forward to Ghost Town to Havana - about two kids baseball teams - from Oakland and Havana and the parallels and differences between them.). The programme is here.

Travelling to come together.

This is my review of the highlights of 2016 . Compiled for the Morning Star (who published it here) this is the original. The Star is excellent at shaping my sometimes unweildy prose into shorter pieces. occasionally however something goes awry. In this case the title of Martin Green's exceptional Flit has disappeared in the Star piece, so here is the full text.

 Celtic Connections kept its key ‘front of the year’ role. Lau and the Unthanks produced a powerful and at times overwhelming concert at Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall that showed us where folk music can go when seized by imagination, talent and technical ability; electronic wizardry fused well with the pure sound of the human voice.

Songs of Separation musicians come together

Another concert demonstrated both cross-fertilisation and how life impacts on art. Inspired by the debates around the Scots independence referendum of 2014, it was the culmination of two years work by ten female Scottish and English musicians living together on Eigg. Organised by double bassist, Jenny Hill, it included Eliza Carthy, and Karine Polwart amongst others. Ironically, although entitled Songs of Separation, the dominant theme was a coming together of national and regional traditions, producing new material, particularly poignant when it dealt (as it often did) with the human tragedy of the migrations across the Mediterranean (Glasgow, Mitchell Theatre). 

Martin Green's Flit

Migration rang out too, in a magnificent highlight to the Edinburgh International Festival (EICC). Again this featured Martin Green (of Lau) and Becky Unthank, along with Dominic Aitchison, Adam Holmes, Aidan Moffat, Karine Polwart and Adrian Utley. Flit married all these talents with the wonders of whiterobot’s (Will Anderson and Ainslie Henderson) torn paper visuals and told us stories of forced and chosen travelling – searching for a place where we feel comfortable

 Elsewhere in Edinburgh we saw a glimpse of the former strength of Scottish drama – with a rehearsed reading of David Greig’s Europe at the Edinburgh International Book Festival – a prescient glimpse back (forward?) into European crisis and its relationship with moving peoples.

The 1916 Easter Rising gave us a number of shows, including Edinburgh TUC’s dramatic and musical look at James Connolly at The Hub as part of the EIF; labour leader, rebel general, family man, and songwriter (who knew?). The centenary provoked one Scottish event after another, including a great new historical walk around Glasgow, and a new play on the little-known Margaret Skinnider – schoolteacher, feminist and sniper – whose story was the successful centrepiece of 2016’s Glasgow MayDay Cabaret in Oran Mor.

Finally, the world of Cuban film cemented the second Havana Glasgow Film Festival in November. The key themes of music, history, community and real life featured in the celebration of Cuba’s Cine Pobre festival. And the look at the key role of the Soviet Union in sustaining the Cuban revolution – Los Bolos en Cuba – took us neatly forward to next year’s important centenary.

Havana Glasgow Film Festival - final four days have many jewels. HGFF preview 2

The Havana Glasgow Film Festival enters its final four days with the arrival of Cuban film and video

Arturo Santana

director, Arturo Santana. Flying in from Havana yesterday - thanks to sponsorship from Unite - to talk about his much-acclaimed first feature film Bailando con Margot (Dancing witb Margot) – Thursday 17, 20 15 in the GFT A ‘neo-noir’ mystery, Bailando con Margot follows the femme fatale, Margot de Zarate and her involvement (or not) in an art heist. Santana made his name (as most Cuban directors do) directing music videos.

A review of some of the highlights so far is on the Culture Matters blog and it also refers to the welcome support for the festival from the Cuban ambassador to the UK, Teresita Vicente Sotolongo, who came to see Amor Cronico – Cucu Diamantes love letter to Cuba.

Sheila, meet Aidan!

Other highlights still to come include Where you’re meant to be  - a great film following Arab Strap’s poet Aidan Moffat crossing swords with determined doyenne of travelling singers, Sheila Stewart as he tries to rewrite traditional Scottish folk tunes (Wednesday 16, 19,30 in the CCA – it will be followed by a Q&A with director Paul Fegan.  Cuba Libre – Thursday 17. 14.45 CCA - a historical drama on the Spanish American War in Cuba follows Chris Dolan’s fascinating story of anarchist Ethel MacDonald, who broadcast from Republican Spain during the Civil War. An Anarchist's Story is in the CCA Thursday 17, 12.50pm). 

Back to Cuba we then can see Los Bolos En Cuba – Friday 18. 19.45 CCA – a warm, nostalgic and irreverent film exploring the times of the 'eternal' friendship of Cuba and the Soviet Union

On Friday morning also, there is an important masterclass by Festival co-Director, and writer, Hugo Rivalta. He will be talking about cinema’s role in the Cuban revolution. - 11.00 Friday 18 in the Glasgow School of Art (Reid Building).

The final day focuses on Cuban animation (CCA 17.30 on Saturday 19), and the success of the festival will be celebrated in Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Museum, from 12.30pm where Gordon Cree will be playing Cuban salsa on the huge organ, and some recently discovered Cuban film archives, brought to Scotland for restoration, will be shown.

The programme is available on the Havana Glasgow Film Festival website - http://www.hgfilmfest.com/ programme

Guests and Supporters as Cuban Film Festival begins - HGFF preview 1

This week sees the start of this year’s Havana Glasgow Film Festival (HGFF), on 11 Nov, and guests have already started to arrive from Cuba and other parts of the globe. On Tuesday the Cuban screenwriter and HGFF co-director, Hugo Rivalta arrived from Havana. He will be introducing two films in the 9-day festival, and also running a master class at the GFT – Cuban Cinema’s place in the Revolution – on Friday 18 Nov.

Hugo said, “It's a privilege to be back for the second HGFF. I am very content, as I’ve just finished talking to a group of writing students about my work process. These Glasgow students make me feel very appreciated. I couldn't believe the programme Eirene and Barbara have prepared, it's so interesting and huge. 

Hugo Rivalta

“I am looking forward to talking more and meeting lots of people and am especially pleased to welcome Arturo Santana, one of the most prestigious directors of video clips in Cuba to talk about his highly anticipated first feature film Bailando Con Margot. He arrives next Tuesday and I’m sure he’ll be welcomed as I was.” 

Eirene Houston, the Festival Director, is especially pleased that we will be welcoming the Cuban ambassador – Her Excellency Teresita Vicente Sotolongo to the festival on Saturday (12). “ Her visit is a symbol of the support from the Cubans for this festival and I'm very happy that she is coming with her husband and another friend, to take part and enjoy our films.” Eirene says. “She’s coming in particular to see Amor Cronico the popular 2012 road movie by actor and director Jorge Perrugoria (star of Fresa y Chocolate, and new director of the Cine Pobre film festival).”

Other visitors include Anita Curbelo from Cine Pobre and from closer to home – Director of Where you’re meant to be – Paul Fegan. He will talk about his film featuring Aidan Moffat and folk legend Sheila Stewart. Alejandro Valera (from Cuba but currently living in Glasgow) will tell us stories about the making of Amor Cronico.

First Minister adds her support

And while she won’t be visiting officially, First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon MSP has welcomed the festival’s second year, She told the festival she was ‘sure it would bring even more energy, colour and passion to Glasgow and its people.”

The Festival runs from the 11^th-19^th November across a number of venues in the Glasgow School of Art, the Centre for Contemporary Art and the Glasgow Film Theatre, finishing at Kelvingrove Art Gallery.

In addition to the screenings above, other noteworthy events are – a lecture on the role of parody and satire in Cuban culture – from renowned Cuban specialist Dr Stephen Wilkinson. This will be Friday 11 at the GFT starting sharp at 11.00am. The first film of the festival will be La Rumba Me Llama that same evening at 7.30 in the GSA’s Vic café bar.

On Saturday an event on Local Cultures and Local Identities takes place in the GSA’s Reid Building. Short films from TV Serrana – a community-based broadcaster from the Cuban Sierra Maestre will be complemented with short films from Scotland and followed by a panel discussion. The day will also feature a screening of Amor Cronico, (Everlasting Love). A ‘road’ movie with a difference!

On Sunday too, the day is given over to a significant feature of Cuban film – Cine Pobre. Translating as ‘Low-Budget Film’ this is film shot with no or minimal resources, and has its own festival in Cuba. Eirene Houston was a juror this year, and has brought back the cream of the crop! Also part of the day is a documentary of the life of Humberto Solas, founder of Cine Pobre and a famous filmmaker. Also showing is El Tren de la Linea Norte (the Northern Line Train) Marcelo Martin’s journey from Moron to Punta Alegre through an area of ‘forgotten Cuba’. The day finishes with a screening of the American film that won the overall Cine Pobre festival, Tangerine.

A day off on Monday, allows us to gird our loins for the rest of the festival, and Tuesday brings

Hector Medina in VIVA

Paddy Breathnac’s Viva, an Irish film made in Cuba about Havana’s underground drag scene. What, trans sex workers and drag queens in a Cuban Film Festival? Who knew?

That’s it for part one, tune back here at the beginning of next week for a summary of what’s to come at the end of the week, including the visit of Arturo Santana.

In addition to support from partner Glasgow School of Art, sponsorship from Unite, and other TUs, the Festival is supported by the Cuban Film Institute (ICAIC), and Glasgow City Council. The Usheru Cinema app is also providing ticket sales support.

The programme is available on the Havana Glasgow Film Festival website - http://www.hgfilmfest.com/ programme

Second Cuban Film Festival launches in Glasgow

The Second Havana Glasgow Film Festival has launched its new programme online this weekend. The festival has built on last years’ initial success extending its run from seven to ten days in November and increasing the number of films.

This year it features a special day concentrating on Cuba’s low-budget film festival (Cine Pobre). There is an extended piece on Cine Pobre and connections between it and Glasgow's festival on the Culture Matters blog, here. Festival Director, Eirene Houston was asked to join the panel of judges earlier this year, and has brought back a selection of the winners to show – including the overall winner, an American film – Tangerine - shot entirely on a smartphone!

Eirene says, “We’re looking forward to an amazing ten days of Cuban and Scottish Film. In addition to a UK premiere of Cuban film, Bailando con Margot (Dancing with Margot) – a first feature-length film from award-winning director Arturo Santana, we have a fascinating documentary about Cuban director (and founder of Cine Pobre) Humberto Solas, and Oliver Hill’s La Rumba Me Llama (Rumba Calling).

Eirene Houston (pic Martin Shields)

“From Scotland, Paul Fegan’s gem of a film about Aidan Moffat and his encounter with folk icon, Sheila Stewart – Where you’re meant to be, and a session with short documentaries from the Sierra Maestra Community and from Scotland. The local cultures of our two countries will be seen, side-by-side!”

Other films include a couple of hits from last year’s festival (La Pared de las Palabras and La Pelicula de Anna) and a Cuba/Scotland History day where the Spanish Civil War story of Ethel MacDonald (An Anarchists Story) will be screened along with Cuba Libre (the story of two brothers in Cuba’s war of freedom from Spain).

Los Bolos en Cuba

Other films will include El Tren de la Linea Norte – a journey through forgotten Cuba, and Los Bolos en Cuba – Enrique Molina’s warm and sometimes irreverent documentary rescuing the memory of the relationship between the Soviet Union and Cuba.

Visiting film makers include, in addition to Arturo Santana from Cuba (brought over thanks to sponsorship from Unite the union), Festival co-director Hugo Rivalta from Cuba, Alejandro Valera from Cuba via Glasgow, and Paul Fegan from Glasgow.

The Festival runs from the 11^th-19^th November across a number of venues in the Glasgow School of Art, the Centre for Contemporary Art and the Glasgow Film Theatre, finishing at Kelvingrove Art Gallery.

In addition to sponsorship from Unite, and other TUs, the Festival is supported by the Cuban Film Institute (ICAIC), and Glasgow City Council. The Usheru Cinema app is also providing ticket sales support.

The programme is available on the Havana Glasgow Film Festival website - www.hgfilmfest.com/programme

Reeling in the (Cuban) Years!

A little late (I was away at a conference when it was published) here is a link to my review of

the First Havana/Glasgow Film Festival that the Morning Star published last Thursday.

Conducta - Five star film

The review was necessarily edited and lost the ratings I gave the films I saw (for the record they were; Conducta - *****; Mi Dicen Cuba - *** and Boccaccerios Habaneros - ****).

The overall standard of the films I saw was very good indeed, and it is quite salutary to realise, that if it hadn't been for this new film festival, people in Glasgow (and elsewhere in the UK) would have had little or no opportunity to see them. 

I think that it is also significant that, despite some levels of support from some local institutions - Glasgow City Council, Glasgow School of Art, GFT, and the bar, Mango amongst others - the Festival's organiser, Eirene Houston, expended a considerable outlay of both money and time to bring it to Glasgow.

We must ensure that this First Festival isn't the last. There is quite clearly a major cinematic ferment in Havana which it would be important to see, and even if and when that is covered, the theme could surely be broadened to cover other Latin American countries. Of course, also usefully explored could be our western view of Cuba (touched on in the festival with the showing of In Cuba They're Still Dancing). 

Let's make sure this is the first of many

The other thing we must ensure is that the infrastructure that makes everything happen, isn't suspended from such a shoogly nail!

Cuba – land of problem and promise

Fernando Perez - in Glasgow Saturday!

The First Havana/Glasgow Film Festival has started with a bang. The first film La Pericula de Ana, was reportedly a very funny launch, and Conducta - on last night, was an outstanding film - a review of which is below. 

Me dicen Cuba

 Tonight, the island's music takes centre stage with Me Dicen Cuba. The highlight, though, comes on Saturday, when the leading Cuban Film Director, Fernando Perez comes to the festival to talk about his film La Pared de las Palabras – this will be shown at 3.00pm, GFT. Later that day a discussion on Socialism Reinvented? will be accompanied by two well-known Glasgow films - In Cuba they're still Dancing, and Red Skirts on Clydeside. This last event is at Glasgow Uni's Gilmorehill Centre, See the festival website for details. www.hgfilmfest.com

Conducta (Behaviour) – 2014 – *****  GFT
This UK premiere of Ernesto Daranas’ Conducta was a triumphant debut as part of an increasingly impressive first Film Festival. The film pulls no punches in its examination of the underbelly of the Cuban revolution. The beautifully filmed, crumbling buildings of Havana are symbolic of the crumbling of the society. But ultimately it is a film full of hope.
 

Conducta - Hope takes wing

 The film centres round the troubled Chala (superbly played by young Armando Valdes Freire), and the impact on him of his mother’s drug abuse, his father(?), Ignazio’s illegal dogfighting ring and his own run-ins with the police.  His only positive is his deep relationship with his (older) form teacher, Carmela (Alina Rodriguez). This is threatened by her championship of the troublesome kid, and his young ‘girlfriend’ Yeni (another great performance by Amaly Junco). Cue clashes with (younger) authority figures over Chala’s future.

But hope wins through – Chala’s real interest is flying pigeons, Yeni (and Carmela) break the link with the dogfights, and Carmela does not succumb to pressure to retire. Is the film a clash between the older ‘revolution’ and the new ‘commercialism’? If so, young teacher Marta’s move from replacement to support for Carmela is hopeful, as is Ignazio’s tacit acceptance of responsibility. The beauty of the filming too, indicates a deep love for the people and city, on both sides of the ubiquitous railroad tracks.

Political, cultural and lifestyle links celebrated in Glasgow/Havana film festival.

Many people over the years have commented on the parallels between the cities of Glasgow and Havana. The enthusiasm for dance, music and film that envelopes both cities has been often referred to, and no doubt led in part to the historic twinning of the two cities 13 years ago this month. Tangible evidence of the benefits of that twinning are on screen in Glasgow this week, as the first Glasgow/Havana Film Festival opens.

The festival, brainchild of the Cubaphile screenwriter and director, Eirene Houston, features at least three (count ‘em) UK premieres of Cuban films, Q&As with well-known Cuban directors – including Fernando Perez whose La Pared de las Palabras premieres at the GFT on 7 Nov, and Alejandro Valera who recently moved to live in Glasgow. His Boccaccerias Habaneras premieres on 8 Nov at Gilmorehill. It also features Houston’s own 2012 film Day of the Flowers.

Eirene Houston. Pic-Martin Shields

 Houston said at last night’s opening, that she had been ‘in love with Cuba, since 1997. The people are so similar.’ She herself worked at the film school in Havana and has built up many film and TV contacts which became key to the creation of the festival.

The political links between the two cities are also covered by a film and discussion night on Saturday 7, at Gilmorehill, Glasgow University. Glasgow TUC Chair and UNISON official, Jennifer McCarey chairs a discussion on Socialism Reinvented, and two seminal Glasgow-based TV productions are given a welcome airing – Barbara Orton’s 1993 feature on Rolls Royce shop steward, Labour councillor and dance enthusiast, Agnes McLean – In Cuba they’re still Dancing is followed by Red Skirts on Clydeside, the 1984 programme that started the reassessment of the role of Glasgow’s women in red Clydeside.

Me Dicen Cuba - Alexander Abreu

Other films that promise much include, Me Dicen Cuba (6 Nov, Gilmorehill) – the story of Cuba’s greatest musicians coming together to record the title song of a documentary in support of the Cuban 5; Conducta – the UK premiere of the most universally successful Cuban film since Strawberry and Chocolate (5 Nov, GFT); and La Pericula de Ana (3 Nov, GFT) a film about a native Cuban actress and exploitative foreign filmmakers!

Couple all this with a celebration of Cuban food (in Stravaigin on 4 Nov), the launch of Rebecca Gordon Nesbitt’s book on the central role of Cuban Culture – To Defend the Revolution is to Defend Culture - (in the CCA on the 7 Nov) and to make the cities’ links complete – a revival of the Club Cubana nights, Glasgow used to see! (In Mango, Sauchiehall Street, 6 Nov). Full Programme is available from the festival website, here. You’ll find something you want to see, hear or eat/drink!