Cuba’s Int’l Documentary Festival will Be Dedicated to Brazil

In addition to displaying their works, the Brazilian representatives will give lectures and offer workshops about specificities and present-day challenges for documentary production.

Brazil has actively participated in previous editions of this festival in Santiago de Cuba.

The festival’s winner in the category of direction in 2008, Teté Moraes, will return this year to the event for the premier of her musical film "Nací Para Bailar" (I was born to dance), about the performance of pianist Joao Donato in the latest Jazz Plaza Festival, who participated in the event at the invitation of Chucho Valdes.

Also coming back is Silvio Tender, who won Telesur’s prize in 2008 as well, to present his latest work.

President of the event, Lazara Herrera, confirmed the participation of film students from around 20 countries including the host nation.

Outside Santiago de Cuba, the Festival will have side venues in other eastern provinces: Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin and Las Tunas.

The Festival will mark the 50th anniversary of the Latin American ICAIC (Cuban Institute of Art and Film Industries) Newsreel with the playing of more than 60 newsreel films made by Santiago Alvarez, which constitute audiovisual testimonies of great historical and artistic value.

Likewise, documentaries safeguarded by the Cinematheque of Cuba, also celebrating 50 years of its creation, will be shown during the event.

The Festival will pay homage as well to Cuban musician Juan Formell and to essay writer Reynaldo Gonzalez who was the director of the Cinamatheque for many years.