Conducta is the biggest film screening at this year’s Havana Glasgow Festival. It’s a film we in the Havana-Glasgow team are all very excited about, and we cannot wait to see the audience’s reaction. Because it is the most well-known Cuban film for 20 years, fans will already know quite a lot about Conducta. However, some of you may not know that Alina Rodriguez (who plays Carmela in the film) recently died in July. Conducta was her last film when she died at the age of 63.
Alina starred in 13 films during her career, from 1986 right up until the year before she died of cancer. In Cuba, she was one of the most recognisable actresses and had recently won several awards for her performance in Conducta – including at the Havana Film Festival in New York. She was famous for her roles in the soap opera Tierra Brava, and for her performance in Maria Antonia in 1990.
She also worked on stage, starring in many Cuban plays over the years – such as In the Park and Contigo Pan and Onion. It is important to recognise Alina’s crucial role in the film industry, besides her on-screen talent. She also set up and taught acting classes and helped develop community theatres and their projects. This shows how Alina Rodriguez tried to develop and expand the Cuban film industry throughout her life, giving younger people greater opportunities to explore their own talent.
You can see Alina’s final wonderful performance in the UK premier of Conducta, playing at the GFT on Thursday November 5th at 8.30pm.
