The Cuban film festival CineCuba 2019 is a three day film festival celebrating 60 years of Cuba’s Institute of Art Film & Industry – ICAIC (1959-2019) and the special, enduring 80 year relationship between Canada and Cuba. The festival will run from March 29 – 31 at the beautifully restored, historic Royal Cinema, located in the heart of Little Italy in Toronto,608 College Street. This is the 10th edition of the annual CineCuba event.
The event is also a celebration of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Cuban Film Commission, a non-profit, non-political organization with the mandate to promote and develop the independent Cuban film industry. The Cuban Film Commission creates opportunities for Cuban filmmakers to write, produce and direct their own projects; promote collaboration between foreign and Cuban filmmakers for film, television, and music video projects and acts as a liaison between film producers in Cuba and government agencies.
This year’s juried selection of films is endorsed by esteemed festival curator and Toronto-Cuba cultural enthusiast and dedicated volunteer, Dr. German Roges who says on the films: “I am 100% proud of the selections – representing all facets of Cuban life, history and personality. I am confident audiences will find them to be important, informative, and entertaining. And, presenting them here in Toronto at the beautiful Royal Cinema provides the perfect backdrop and partnership for such an important event.”
The films to be shown at this year’s CineCuba will show perspectives on Cuba that promise not to veer away from demonstrating real life issues in Cuba; to amuse, to entertain, and provoke an understanding as to how this often misunderstood nation manages to survive and still prioritize its medical and education systems to a standard that is world class by any measure.
Cuban films have long been known to highlight controversial issues yet they also reveal a populace that is generally happy, healthy, sharing, and enjoy an infectious sense of humor.
CineCuba 2019 promises to delve into the sights, sounds and rhythms that make up the mosaic of history, art, music, sport, and daily routines that define Cuba.
CineCuba 2019 will run from March 29 to March 31 in Toronto. This year’s lineup of films include the works of Jorge Luis Sánchez, Lourdes de los Santos Matos, Patricia Ramos, Juan Carlos Travieso Fajardo, and Maritza Ceballo. View the list of films and director’s bios here.
The festival receives full support from the Cuban Embassy in Ottawa, and the Cuban Consulates in Toronto and Montreal.
Two hundred seats will be offered free to the public in each screening, on a first-to-come basis.
This year’s lineup of films include the works of Jorge Luis Sánchez, Lourdes de los Santos Matos, Patricia Ramos, Juan Carlos Travieso Fajardo, and Maritza Ceballo. To find out more about this year’s CineCuba 2019, visit www.cinecuba.ca.
