In brief
In a highly‑anticipated event, the Italian‑Cuban drama 'Baracoa' opened in Havana’s Yara cinema on Nov. 6 after winning Audience and Best Screenplay awards at Trieste’s 41st Ibero‑Latin American Film Festival. The film, directed by Luis Ernesto Donas, chronicles a transformative road trip from Havana to Cuba’s easternmost city, exploring themes of love, friendship, and identity. Donas praised the film’s emotional purity, noting it helps it resonate with audiences.
The Italian‑Cuban drama “Baracoa” opened in Havana’s Yara theatre on 6 November, following its successful run at film festivals in Europe.
Icaic, the Cuban Film Institute, announced that director Luis Ernesto Donas, producers, crew and cast would attend the premiere, underscoring the film’s national significance.
“Baracoa” follows an Italian revolutionary friend of Fidel Castro, played by Giancarlo Giannini, and his son Pepe, portrayed by Carlos Luis González, as they embark on a road journey from Havana to the island’s easternmost city, a voyage that reshapes their lives.
The film garnered the Audience Award and the Best Screenplay Award (written by Donas and Filippo Ascione) at the 41st Ibero‑Latin American Film Festival in Trieste, Italy, a fact highlighted by both Prensa Latina and Radio Angulo.
Director Luis Ernesto Donas told Prensa Latina about the movie’s emotional impact.
“This purity of emotion, which comes across on screen, is what, in a way, manages to connect with audiences.”
Radio Angulo also noted the film’s success on international juries, from which it drew strong audience acclaim before its domestic release.
