Olympics 2012 Film Part 4 - Norway, Denmark, Cuba, South Korea, Netherlands & Canada

Cuba €“ 194 Medals

Cuba produces some mighty fine boxers for the Olympics, with 32 of its Gold medals coming from the sport. So, it is no surprise to say that its cinema has in its past packed somewhat of a big didactic punch. However, prior to the Cuban revolution in 1959, domestic production had been relatively slow. After the Castro led uprising, cinema became an imperative part of the countries culture, in the early 1960s for example, mobile cinemas were formed to help take locally produced films into rural areas. This helped to develop a national identity through its art, and with it, more of a collective social spirit. And although many Latin American nations chose to censor their films and attempt to stifle socio-political commentaries, Cuba allowed them and still does. Whether this was to help develop their artistic output, or, more of a revolutionary technique to help force a collective voice throughout the nation, is an interesting debate. What is important to remember, is that in comparison to many national cinemas, Cuban€™s golden age during the 1960s was done so on a relatively threadbare budget. For example, the countries cinematic institute which helped provide funding, gave out $7m in a single year, whereas Hollywood, spent $14m per feature. The contrasts between Cuban cinema and Hollywood, held more meaning due to the political problems between the nations. During the 70s and 80s, with their cinematic identity defined, directors began to make films which questioned the social realm. Unfortunately, come the 1990s, the soviet presence which had infused the country during the cold war era left, taking with it, the monetary support it had once supplied to Cuba. With a lack of money, the arts have unfortunately suffered, its heyday slowly becoming a distant memory. We can sit in hope that Cuban cinema finds its feet once more, because the talent and stories still remain. Bronze - Strawberry and Chocolate (Tomaz Gutierrez Alea, 1994) If Alea€™s most famous film, Memories of Underdevelopment, was about a man coming to grips with his new country, strawberry and Chocolate, is Alea€™s social commentary on the countries developing politics. Set in the late 1970s, it tells the story of David who is a university student in Havana. Engaged, he attempts to consummate his relationship for the first time but falls short because his new wife is turned off by his casualness in such an important moment. Unfortunately for him, next thing you know she€™s marrying another man. His next encounter is with a man named Diego. Clearly gay, well dressed and well read, Diego is the antithesis of David, who by all accounts is a fiery communist who believes in the doctrine of the revolution. Diego seems to want to seduce David and David, strict in his moral obligations, plays along with the flirtation if only to make him commit an act of profanation. Instead, their relationship develops, with emotions and politics emerging leading both characters, to, in some way transform. A critique of Castro€™s homophobic policies, Alea tackles the perceived negative qualities of homosexuality. Negative qualities, which Castro himself had made, claiming that it was a part of capitalist society which was not welcome in Cuba. Today, Castro himself has admitted his wrongdoings in this respect, whether or not Alea€™s work had an effect on him only he will know, but I imagine given Havana€™s now vibrant gay scene it at least had a social impact on a street level. Silver €“ Soy Cuba (Mikhail Kalatozov, 1964) Soy Cuba is both an interesting and necessary film to gain a medal. With the USSR having a major diplomatic presence in the country from the 1950s, Soy Cuba was one of many productions which benefited from the dual identity of the nation. Directed by a Russian, with a narrative focus on Cuba, the film was surprisingly shunned by both nations. A neglected behemoth, Soy Cuba is broken up into four different chapters, which all share the common theme of disdain and uprising against the dictatorial regime of Batista. The first story revolves around a young lady, Maria, who has a job in a run down casino. She dislikes her job, but its clientele of rich American€™s proves too hard to resist, which unfortunately leads her to being taken advantage of by a client. The second story is about Pedro, a farmer who having made a fresh crop ready to be sold, is told by his landowner that the land has been sold to a corporation and he is to leave immediately, depressed he takes action against the crops and himself. The third story follows a student, Enrique, who along with other students want to take a stand against the government and its subsidiaries. Taking aim at the police, Enrique fails in his aim but is successful in inspiring many others as a martyr. Finally, it follows a farmer who joins rebels in the mountains of Cuba to take hold of his country and lead the revolution into Havana. It is clear from these stories that the film takes a stand against the previous dictatorship of Batista, attacking his links to America, with the depiction of the casinos and corporations, who constantly oppressed and exploited Cuba€™s people. Perhaps its political message is a bit naïve, picking and choosing what it likes while ignoring the problems of the revolution. A propaganda piece, it does so unashamedly, but if its perceived weakness lies in its ideology, its strengths lies in its production. With camerawork far advanced from anything Cuba had seen before, Kalatozov utilises the camera and produces shots which even the greatest directors would be proud of today. Lauded by Scorsese, Soy Cuba, now stands as one of the greatest films of world cinema, and in my opinion it deserves to. Gold - Memories of Underdevelopment (Tomaz Gutierrez Alea, 1968) The theme of underdevelopment is an important one in Cuban cinema. With the country still developing, low budget limitations were in place on its domestic output. Therefore, filmmaking became a tougher task, forcing directors to use creative ways to create their works. Memories of Underdevelopment is a good example of this, cutting costs by utilising real documentary footage within the film. It follows a wealthy and well dressed middle aged man, Sergio, as he refuses to leave Cuba with his wife while it undergoes transformation in the form of the revolution. He examines the country€™s political and social change, from the Bay of Pigs to the Cuban missile crisis. He remains an outsider, still living his bourgeois lifestyle of womanising and frivolous spending, whilst still remaining a non-believer in the social change that many citizens are wishful of. Playing with the use of memory, it is through his recollections that he examines the changing landscape of Cuba. It is a subjective viewpoint which we become wary of, before discovering that it is actually he, that is not changing and in his denial, he is refusing to see the change in his nation. On a larger scale, perhaps the film can be seen as an allegory for Alea€™s own skepticism towards the changing cinematic landscape and his own acceptance that perhaps a change is occurring. Alea was a follower of Castro in his early days, leading the revolutions underground film aspirations. Perhaps Alea had come to accept the change and transformation, now however, he seems to be able to criticize it freely (Strawberries and Chocolate). Unlike Sergio, he has come to accept the transformation, but like Sergio he has become stubborn to the landscape, instead exploring his memories and recollections to critique the social landscape.