Cuba, the Olympics and Juantorena
This summer has been one of glory for Cuba, and with 7 gold, 3 silver and 5 bronze medals, Cuban athletes reached an amazing 14th place in the Tokyo 2020 … Continue reading Cuba, the Olympics and Juantorena
Blog
Havana Glasgow Film Festival 2020
2020’s been a challenging year for all of us, not least for film festivals, which have had to find new ways in which to showcase work and engage audiences. A … Continue reading Havana Glasgow Film Festival 2020
Havana Glasgow Pandemic Festival
It’s been quite a year – and that’s an understatement. The entire world seems to have virtually ground to a halt, and time stood still, in the face of the … Continue reading Havana Glasgow Pandemic Festival
Book Review: We Are Cuba by Helen Yaffe
“We are Cuba!” is about the complex situation that the Caribbean island has lived in during the last 30 years. It is an account of how the criminal US blockade, … Continue reading Book Review: We Are Cuba by Helen Yaffe
Coffee and Contradictions
The 1960s were the Golden Age of Cuban filmmaking, where filmmakers were swept up in the fervour of creating a new society, and the Cuban film institute ICAIC eager to … Continue reading Coffee and Contradictions
Over the Wall
Fernando Pérez is Cuba’s most celebrated living filmmaker, one whose body of work over the last 30 years provides a vivid portrait of Cuban society. Cutting his teeth making documentaries for … Continue reading Over the Wall
Another World is Possible
Science fiction is one of the most fertile and consistently popular literary genres, with its roots often in a Utopian impulse, a wish for transformation and improvement. This is a … Continue reading Another World is Possible
Sisters Doing It For Themselves
La Pelicula de Ana (Ana’s Film) was a highlight of our first ever Havana Glasgow Film Festival. This satirical look at the conditions of Cuban film production may be set … Continue reading Sisters Doing It For Themselves
Ian Padrón
Earlier this year, Cuba was in a state of national mourning for the death of its best-loved animated filmmaker, Juan Padrón. It is difficult to overestimate the importance of this … Continue reading Ian Padrón
Eliades Ochoa: Taking Cuban Music to the Global Stage
Anyone familiar with Cuban music, knows the song Chan Chan. The Buena Vista Social Club classic has become representative for Cuba all over the world. Its evocative opening melody is … Continue reading Eliades Ochoa: Taking Cuban Music to the Global Stage
Cuban-Celtic Connections
Félix Flores Varona is a writer and researcher on English and international literature, who currently lives in Scotland. At this year’s HGFF, he will be presenting an exploration of the links … Continue reading Cuban-Celtic Connections
Innocence
The Cuban Wars of Independence were a long, protracted struggle with much blood shed. But one of the most appalling incidents occurred during the first, Ten Years War, in 1871, … Continue reading Innocence
Silvio Rodríguez: The Life of a Cuban Legend
Nobody represents leftist culture in music quite like poet-musician Silvio Rodríguez. Born in 1946 in San Antonio de los Baños, Cuba, Rodríguez became one of the leading figures of the … Continue reading Silvio Rodríguez: The Life of a Cuban Legend
Extraordinary Cuba – An interview with Michael Chanan
The theme of this year’s Havana Glasgow Film Festival, is ‘Extraordinary Cuba’, and we will be examining the ways in which this fiercely independent island nation is truly extraordinary, in … Continue reading Extraordinary Cuba – An interview with Michael Chanan
Day of the Flowers
Day of the Flowers + Q&A Wed 28 October 2020 7.30 – 9.45pm John Roberts / 2013 / UK / Comedy, Drama, Romance/ 15 / 1hr39mins Two Scottish sisters, one … Continue reading Day of the Flowers
Kid’s Salsa Latin Fun (Zoom class)
Sat 7 November 2020 Time: 1– 1.45pm (video from live dance class with Farah in Kelvingrove Musuem as part of HGFF 2019) Online Salsa dance class for children, led by … Continue reading Kid’s Salsa Latin Fun (Zoom class)
Cuban Salsa Dance Workshop with Oscle and Lisi (via Zoom)
Sat 7 Nov 2020 Time: 4 – 5pm Open level Salsa ‘Suelta’ / Solo Dance workshop with Cuban professional Dancers OSCLE & LISI. Havana Glasgow Film Festival is very pleased … Continue reading Cuban Salsa Dance Workshop with Oscle and Lisi (via Zoom)
Migrant Voice Media Lab Training Scotland
Monday 9 November Time: 6.30 – 8.30pm *Free, but registration required. Open to all. A training session in partnership with Migrant Voice The programme will include the following sessions: 1/ … Continue reading Migrant Voice Media Lab Training Scotland
De Vuelta Al Barrio / Back to the Neighbourhood
Sat 7 November 2020 Time: 7pm – 9.15pm De Vuelta Al Barrio / Back to the Neighbourhood + Q&A Alejandro Valera Alejandro Valera Losa / 2019 / Documentary / 16+ … Continue reading De Vuelta Al Barrio / Back to the Neighbourhood
Welcome to HGFF20 with Co-Directors Eirene Houston and Hugo Rivalta
Tues 10 November 2020 Time: 6.45 – 7.20pm Join Eirene Houston in Glasgow and Hugo Rivalta in Havana as they introduce HGFF’s sixth Festival, discuss their personal highlights of the programme … Continue reading Welcome to HGFF20 with Co-Directors Eirene Houston and Hugo Rivalta
Cuba: Living Between Hurricanes
Tues 10 November 2020 Time: 7.30 – 9.15pm Cuba: Living Between Hurricanes + live Q+A with director Michael Chanan Michael Chanan / 2019 / Documentary / N/C / 1hr10mins A film … Continue reading Cuba: Living Between Hurricanes
Nosotros La Música / We are the Music
Wed 11 November 2020 Time: 5.30 – 6:40pm Rogelio Paris / 2004 / Poland / Documentary /N/C / 1hr6min A rare panorama of Cuban music and dance from the 1960s. … Continue reading Nosotros La Música / We are the Music
Inocencia / Innocence
Thu 12 November 2020 Time: 2.30 – 4.30pm Alejandro Gil / Cuba / 2018 / Fiction / 18 / 2hr1min Havana, November 1871. A class of first year medical students … Continue reading Inocencia / Innocence
Cuban Food Night with Chef Gary Maclean
Wed 11 November 2020 Time: 8–9pm A fun and informative evening in the kitchen of Glaswegian chef Gary Maclean, cooking food inspired by his recent trip to Cuba. In December … Continue reading Cuban Food Night with Chef Gary Maclean
Ghost Town to Havana
Thu 12 November 2020 Time: 5.00 –7.15pm Ghost Town to Havana, Introduced by Cinematographer Roberto Chile + Q&A Eugene Corr Eugene Corr, Roberto Chile / 2015 / Documentary / N/C … Continue reading Ghost Town to Havana
El Viaje Extraordinario de Celeste Garcia / The Extraordinary Journey of Celeste Garcia
Thurs 12 November 2020 Time: 8 – 10pm El Viaje Extraordinario de Celeste Garcia / The Extraordinary Journey of Celeste Garcia + Q&A Guest actor María Isabel Díaz (TBC) Arturo … Continue reading El Viaje Extraordinario de Celeste Garcia / The Extraordinary Journey of Celeste Garcia
The Man Behind the Myth, Intimate Portrait of Fidel Castro
Friday 13 November 2020 Time: 12 – 1pm Jean Pelletier / 2015 / Canada / Doc / 55min Fidel Castro is one of the most famous and controversial figures of … Continue reading The Man Behind the Myth, Intimate Portrait of Fidel Castro
La Pelicula de Ana / Ana’s Film
Friday 13 November 2020 Time: 2 – 3.40pm Daniel Diaz Torres / 2012 / Drama / 18 / 1hr40min Another chance to see this favourite from our very first festival … Continue reading La Pelicula de Ana / Ana’s Film
Nicolás Guillén Landrián – Memory in Progress
Friday 13 November 2020 Time: 4.30 – 7pm 4.30-5.55 films 6-7 discussion (available to watch internationally, via our Facebook page) Nicolás Guillén Landrián – Memory in Progress + Panel Discussion … Continue reading Nicolás Guillén Landrián – Memory in Progress
Cuba and COVID19: Public Health, Science and Solidarity
Friday 13 November 2020 Time: 7.30 – 9.45pm Click here to watch the film on Muvi 7.30 –7.35World Premiere of Luz Y Esperanza / Light and Hope – a special … Continue reading Cuba and COVID19: Public Health, Science and Solidarity
Elpidio Valdes
Saturday 14 November 2020 Time: 10.15am – 11.30am Elpidio Valdes Juan Padrón/ 1979 / Cuba / Animation / 1hr10min This film is captioned and is in Spanish with English subtitles … Continue reading Elpidio Valdes
Vampiros en La Habana / Vampires in Havana
Saturday 14 November 2020 Time: 3.40pm – 5pm Q&A 5-6pm Juan Padrón / Cuba / 1985 / Animation, Comedy, Horror / 1hr20min This film is captioned The second of two … Continue reading Vampiros en La Habana / Vampires in Havana
La Pared de las palabras / The Wall of Words + discussion
Saturday 14 November 2020 Time: 1.00– 3.30pm Fernando Perez / Cuba / 2014 / Fiction / 15 / 1hr37min Feature film in association with ICAIC This film is captioned Another … Continue reading La Pared de las palabras / The Wall of Words + discussion
Cuban cocktail making demo and informal chat with the HGFF team plus new videos by Los Van Van
Saturday 14 November 2020 Time: 6.15 – 6.45pm A chance to learn how to make a classic Cuban cocktail – a mojito. Have these ingredients at hand – ice, sugar, … Continue reading Cuban cocktail making demo and informal chat with the HGFF team plus new videos by Los Van Van
Cuban Legends Double Bill – Eliades Ochoa and Silvio Rodríguez
Saturday 14 November 2020 Time: 7.30 – 10.15pm Eliades Ochoa: From Cuba to the World 7.30 – 9.10pm Cynthia Biestek, Ruben Gomez / 2019 / UK / Documentary, Biography, Music … Continue reading Cuban Legends Double Bill – Eliades Ochoa and Silvio Rodríguez
Cecilia + Connecting Cuban and Scottish literature – Felix Flores Varona
Sunday 15 November 2020 Film 11.30am-1.40pmDiscussion 1.40-3pm Humberto Solás / 1982 / Spain / Drama / 2hr7min Cecilia, a Cuban girl of mixed race in violent 19th-century Cuba, is raised … Continue reading Cecilia + Connecting Cuban and Scottish literature – Felix Flores Varona