Mission Statement

The Havana Glasgow Film Festival exists to showcase the best of Cuban cinema and culture in Scotland, highlighting the thriving artistic talent, history of solidarity – and perhaps unexpected similarities – which exist between these great twin cities of Havana and Glasgow.

With the director Eirene Houston based in Glasgow and co-director Hugo Rivalta in Havana, HGFF brings us closer together in a spirit of equality and cultural exchange.

Our key partnerships with GCC and Instituto Cubano del Arte e Industria Cinematográficos (Institute of Cuban Cinematographic Art), as well as our strong curatorial relationship with the ICAIC, are crucial to our festival. We greatly value their enthusiastic support.

HGFF provides a platform for Cuban and Scottish Film makers to share their work. Visiting Cuban filmmakers give audiences an insight into their world and they, in turn, gain an insight into ours. Discovering, through cultural expression, what unites us, locally and internationally, is at the heart of our Festival.

As Cuba opens up and Raul Castro prepares to step down, the eyes of the world are upon the country. HGFF and Glasgow’s authentic connection is of great value now and has exciting potential for the future.