Cuban film season opened in Cairo

A week of Cuban cinema at the Egyptian Centre of International Cultural Cooperation was opeed on November 19.

Due to the strong links between the Cuban Embassy in El Cairo and the Sector of International Cultural Relationships of the Egyptian Cultural Ministry and following a proposal made by the Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry (ICAIC, after its initials in Spanish), was opened the week of Cuban cinema at the Egyptian Centre of International Cultural Cooperation.The season is made by a total of five documentaries and four movies, made by important Cuban directors such as Octavio Cortazar, Julio García Espinosa, Tomás Gutiérrez Alea, and Fernando Pérez and is a small and punctual tour through the development of the Cuban cinematography from 1964 until 2007.

Vladimir Gonzalez Quesada, The Affair Official of the Cuban Embassy in Egypt, said in his addressee during the opening ceremony that the documentary “Por primera vez” and the movie “El brigadista”, both made by the director Octavio Cortazar, were chosen for the opening ceremony for being a reflect through the film of the initial work of the revolution in the social and cultural fields.

He added the documentary showed the experience of taking the cinema to the mountains. The inhabitants of the Cuban mountains were before being faced with a screen. At the same time, the movie recreates the historic deed of the literacy campaign made by Cuba, the first country in Latin America to be free from illiteracy in 1961.

Prof. Hossam Nassar, President of the Sector of Cultural International Relationships, thanked the diplomatic mission the opportunity offered to the Egyptian people to enjoy the Cuban cinema.

He also remembered the trip made to Havana in May 2008, accompanying the Egyptian Minister of Culture, when he was able to see the hospitality and warmth of the Cuban people, as well as their high level of preparation and instruction.

Prof Nassar commented that with this interesting cinema week it is ending a working period at the Egyptian Centre of International Cultural Cooperation, which will be closed for a while for a complete remodeling.

The opening night had the presence of several executives of the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, representatives of the diplomatic mission in El Cairo, executives and members of the Cuba Egypt Friendship Association and the Egypt – Latin America Friendship Association as well as journalists and general public.

The cinema season ended yesterday, 23 of November with the movie “Clandestinos”, by director Director Fernando Pérez.

Source: Cuban Embassy Egypt