MIAMI.- The film Friendsdirected by award-winning Cuban-American playwright and filmmaker Ivn Acosta, will screen this Sunday -June 30- at 3:45 pm in Coral Gables Art Cinema.
Friendsfilmed in Miami in 1985, is the story of Ramón (played by Rubón Rabasa) an exile who, after suffering years in prison in his country, is freed and says goodbye to the communist island thanks to Him. Mariel, occurred in the spring of 1980 where more than 130 thousand Cubans escaped, the largest exodus in the history of Cuba.
The friendly Ramón is received by his childhood friend, Pablo (Reynaldo Medina, protagonist of the super), become a successful car salesman, who enjoys a pleasant life in Miami and has a beautiful girlfriend (Lucy Pereda). While the newcomer goes through the discoveries and vicissitudes of his new life in the United States, diametrically opposed to the one he had in Cuba, Pablo assumes the protection of his friend and helps him experience the so-called ‘American dream’. .
I am very excited for this special presentation. We filmed this movie in Miami several years ago and it was a very beautiful experience in my career as an actor. I have acted in many films, in Hollywood and in independent productions, but this one is very particular, it is the only feature film that I have starred in. It was very nice and fun,” Rubn Rabasa said in a statement.
Negative representation of the Marielitos
In the opinion of filmmaker Ivn Acosta, the film Scarface (1983) -directed by Brian De Palma and written by Oliver Stone- negatively projected the history of the Marielitos. Faced with this discomfort, Acosta – together with Camilo Vila – sought financing to make the first feature film made in the United States entirely by Cuban filmmakers, actors and technicians.
A part of the Cuban community in Miami initially had a not very positive attitude towards the new refugees, due to the tricks of the regime, which among the decent people infiltrated a group of criminals and mentally ill people with the bad intention of saying that The counterrevolutionaries were criminals. So for me it was very important to tell the human story of the Marielitos. In Friendslet’s try to do precisely that, in the style of I hopeAcosta explains.
In I hope I had the character Roberto Amador González expressing the experience of the Cuban exile of those days. In Friends, I have Ramón Goizueta Fernández, telling the stories of many Cuban refugees who decided to leave everything to escape across the Mariel bridge. “I wrote the script as a bittersweet dramatic comedy,” the director added.
Cycle of questions and answers at the film screening
At the end of the projection of Friendsthere will be a question and answer segment with writer and director Ivn Acosta and actor Rubn Rabasa, moderated by filmmaker Gabriel de Varona, who is currently working on a film starring Rabasa.
“It is a very peculiar feeling to know that many friends will go, who know the film and want to enjoy it again on the big screen, with that magic that only cinema has. And it is also very exciting – and intriguing at the same time – to know that many will go. other people, Marielitos and other exiles, from generations like mine and from new generations. Without a doubt it will be a special Sunday. I hope to see you, don’t miss it, Rabasa invited.
Tickets can be purchased through prod3.agileticketing.net.
