Cuba Vive

The crew at Fuster's.

This place continues to fascinate. Our lunch conversations are lively, as some of us are 50-somethings, some in their 60s, and others in their 20s, with totally different orientations vis-a-vis the future. Claudia and Ana, our excellent 25-year old producers have a different knowledge of history, as they were born during Cuba's "Special period," a time of deprivation catalyzed by the dissolution of the Soviet Union. They are practical and forward-thinking—and they value the revolution and its luminaries. All of our crew is willing to talk about race, and gay and trans is no big deal for them.

Ken and Claudia

Before leaving for Cuba I had a good conversation with a potential funder, who told me that his trip to Cuba 5 years ago was profoundly depressing. He saw that Cubans have the joie de vivre but this was overcome by what he experienced as a desperation engendered by the lack of opportunity and dictatorship. I took a deep breath and reminded him that Cuba is an island with nuance flying everywhere. They don't vote; two brothers have held power since independence. Our version of human rights and freedom of speech, differs from theirs. Movement is limited. Many of these things bother me. Yet Cuba has a 99% literacy and high school graduation rate.  There are limited opportunities for computer programmers, architects, entrepreneurs. And no gun violence. And their national newspaper is a party organ. But no cartels. It doesn't look like Mexico, Honduras, or Columbia during the 90s. And talented people still leave, via boat or a long trek through South America, worried that if the US embargo is lifted, legal immigration tomorrow will become even harder than illegal immigration today. 

How to synthesize this into a tidy package? I can't, which is why I always take a deep breath when a friend tells me Cuba is a totalitarian state or a paradise. It's just.....Cuba. 

When Life Gives You Lemons

"When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." So said our kids' pre-school teachers, and today life gave us lemons. We had our two crack crews ready to roll when an incredible storm moved in. My entire shot list for the next two days had to be re-tooled, causing a bit of a challenge. My charge from Lincoln Center was to return to the States with footage of Havana's color- hard to do when you mainly see gray, the wing is whipping, and most people stay inside. My footage was intended to be used as a mini-scenes in between musical pieces for the broadcast of the concert of US and Cuban musicians, as part of PBS "Live at Lincoln Center." We broke up our grim crew breakfast with war stories and laughs. We decided, of course, rain being part of the landscape here, we would shoot beautiful images of rain- dripping from cars, cascading from building, interrupted by yellow umbrellas, wet streets reflecting headlights, pairs of people laughing as they unsuccessfully huddle beneath an umbrella, stepping in puddles. 

Old cars, new Havana.

Over the course of the two-day shoot we had enough breaks in the weather to film: the Malecón, Havana's dramatic sea wall, enriched by the storm; images of colorful buildings and windows to intercut with the beautiful backdrop constructed for the Lincoln Center concert in New York; Cubans, young and old, crowding around one of the island's few public wi-fi hotspots, posting to social media and calling relatives abroad; the classy old cars in the emerging new Havana; the indoor art and craft market; and the gorgeous, if inconvenient, rain. All told we got what we came for. Another eye-opening experience in Havana.

Havana's dramatic sea wall.

We Are Back in Havana!

We had an excellent landing in Havana—the first return trip for Mica since he came here in 2011 to deliver baseball gear to the Martin Luther King Center. Our casa  particular [predates Air B n B by a few decades] is in Central Havana, a few blocks from the sea and a short ride to Old Havana in a maquina, a recycled, rebuilt, reanimated American car from the 50s that functions like an affordable Uber pool, plying certain routes in the city.

Ivan Soca, subject of the first film in our series, Evolution Cuba, scooped us up in Aquitania, his car, named after the region bordering Spain and France where the first troubadours sang. Los trovadores are a central theme of Ivan’s work—musicians who write and sing songs of the people, from the people, and for the people. They are storytellers and the soul of their pueblo, of their people.

Fuster

Silvio Rodriguez

Ivan took us to Jaimanitas, on the outskirts of Havana where the artist Fuster has transformed the area into a Gaudi-like mosaic of beauty and imagination. But tonight we were here to witness a free neighborhood concert by Silvio Rodriguez, a Cuban troubadour famous throughout Latin America. Using his own resources, Silvio invites guest artists to perform with him throughout the island, converting a street into a concert venue, free for all. This was the 75th in the series; Ivan has photographed all of them save for the two performed in Spain and Chile. No T-shirts for sale, no vendors, just a makeshift stage raised a few feet above the street, and the music. After a brief afternoon deluge Frank Delgado, another trovador with a sharp sense of humor took the stage and wowed us. A short set later, Silvio sat down and sang songs that the entire country seems to know—elders, pierced, tattooed and gender nonconforming college students, local workers, and young families, sway, cheer, and sing. Silvio has been writing and singing trovas for 50 years, and while many in the U.S. don’t know his voice, he is one of Latin America’s greatest bards.

View from the rooftop

Ivan knows not only the neighborhood, but he knows the rooftops to climb for the best plano general—the wide shot. He knocked on a few doors, introduced himself, and we were invited up.

Not bad for our first half day in Cuba.

What do Mick Jagger, Barack Obama, and PatchWorks have in common?

The answer: Cuba, March 2016 . . . if our Kickstarter campaign is successful.

Barack is definitely going. The Rolling Stones are doing a Latin American tour and have not announced a date in Cuba yet, but we think they just might. And Ken is scheduled to shoot and edit the first short in the (R)EVOLUTION CUBA series next month.  

Many thanks to the 144 of you for ponying up already and  reaching out across your networks. We're in the final push to make our goal. We have 10 days to go in this all or nothing campaign.   If you haven't yet watched our trailer, will you check it out and see if you lend support. A donation? An introduction to someone who can help? A post?  Info found at: bit.ly/revolutioncubadocs.

Here are some sample posts below, we'd love you to share.

#CUBA #ART #SOCIALISM #MARKET #CHANGE @PatchWorks Films launches short doc series. Trailer @ bit.ly/revolutioncubadocs Plz RT!

OR

Join me in supporting @PatchWorks Films new (Revolution #Cuba #film --#art for the people collides with market forces. Trailer and info @ bit.ly/revolutioncubadocs. 

OR

Rum. Jazz. Vintage Cars. We think we know Cuba. We hear about shortages, lack of opportunities, expected regime change, refugees and lucrative business deals. Lost is the remarkable debate where revolutionary ideals face off against the market's seduction. In Cuba, where 98% of the people are literate, have healthcare, a home, and free education, artists are not fringe. They are vanguard and they are in a quandry. Opportunity vs. free expression vs. socialism. How will they choose? Or can they have it all? (R)EVOLUTION CUBA brings you six short film stories of artists at the heart of an evolving nation.

AND 

If you are in the Bay Area, please joining us for one of two free events (and invite your friends!):

El Oso, featured in WHEEL OF LIFE. Sneak Preview screenings.

CUBA NIGHT: Feb. 23 - Berkeley - FREE

We will be screening a sneak preview of our upcoming short film THE WHEEL OF LIFE, featuring El Oso, one of the founders of Casino (the unheralded godmother of salsa), and hosting a discussion of the intersection of art, socialism and the market in contemporary Cuba.  Post-screening Q & A with the filmmakers, Marcia Jarmel & Ken Schneider, Malia Everette of Altruvistas, and UC Berkeley Lecturer Elizabeth Vasile, Ph.D. RSVP and details at:bit.ly/revcubaberkeley.

FILM, SALSA, & CELEBRATION: Feb. 24 - Free

The beloved Bissap Baobab in San Francisco’s Mission District is hosting a free salsa party, and has generously offered to donate 20% of the night's proceeds to (R)EVOLUTION CUBA!Admission is free before 10pm. If you want to join a select few for a West African dinner with us, back (R)EVOLUTION CUBA at the $100 or higher level at bit.ly/revolutioncubadocs.    RSVP and details at: bit.ly/baobabsalsa. We'll be screening WHEEL OF LIFE at 7. Dancing starts at 8.

AND 

If you haven't checked out the art perks we have, consider upping your contribution to own original photos, music, signed books at  bit.ly/revolutioncubadocs.  

Rochy was rock start David Blanco on the Todas Contracorriente tour with PatchWorks last spring.

New today is a CD of beloved Cuban singer-songwriter, Rochy. Virtually impossible to find outside Cuba, this music will knock on your heart's door. We had the pleasure of meeting and touring with Rochy and her colleagues last spring in Cuba.  We're thrilled to be sharing her music here.

Questions, suggestions, ideas? Let us know. info@patchworksfilms.net.

Adelante!