Exhibit shows Cuban cinema

The Ackland Art Museum has turned its front gallery into a celebration of Cuban cinema from the 1960s and 1970s.

Sixteen colorful posters line the walls, displaying cinema artistry, and the films they advertise are just as diverse and entertaining.

“Almost Now: Cuban Art, Cinema and Politics in the 1960s and 1970s,” will run through Dec. 6.

In late September, the Ackland plans to screen films in the gallery, but the schedules and films have not yet been determined. Here is a look at some of the interesting films from the gallery.

Memorias del Subdesarrollo

Translated as “Memories of Underdevelopment,” this 1968 film presents a skeptical view of the Cuban Revolution, said David Craven, who donated the collection to the Ackland.

The film follows a handsome former member of the elite, a Latin version of Cary Grant, who does not understand why common people get a voice, he said.

“He’s trying to figure out what to do because he can’t figure out what side he’s on,” Craven said.

This film is different from traditional Hollywood films because it poses a question it does not answer in the course of the movie, he said.

“It ends with the film presenting the audience with an issue that’s still not resolved,” he said. “In other words, there aren’t happy endings in Cuban film.”

La Última Cena

The 1977 film, which means “The Last Supper,” is partially based on events in 18th-century Cuba.

“A plantation owner decided to re-enact the Last Supper with himself in the role of Jesus and 12 slaves in the roles of the disciples,” said Carolyn Allmendinger, curator of the exhibit.

“It’s a film that endeavours to highlight racial issues and issues of slavery.”

La Muerte de un Burócrata

A dark comedy set in contemporary Cuba, the film, which translates as “Death of a Bureaucrat,” follows the troubles a family experiences when their father is accidentally buried with his identity card.

“It’s a humorous take on bureaucratic society,” Allmendinger said.

Lucia

“Lucia” tells the story of three women named Lucia from different times and social classes in Cuba from the early 1800s to the 1960s, Allmendinger said.

Craven said the film is significant for its time because it’s one of the first great feminist films in history.

Por Primera Vez

Filmed in 1968, “Por Primera Vez,” which translates as “For the First Time,” is a film about film.

“It shows the experience of a group of people in a remote town in Cuba watching Charlie Chaplin’s film ‘Modern Times’ for the first time,” Allmendinger said.

She said the 10-minute film was an interesting contrast of the urban industrialized world of the film with the rural viewers’ world.


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