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Glasgow and Havana have been twinned cities since 2002. Despite their climates and cultures being so different, the cities have had a successful twinned relationship. However, not a lot of Glaswegians are aware of this. The Havana Glasgow Film Festival has been set up to raise awareness of the twinned cities, and to also help boost the film industries in both Cuba and Scotland.
The festival kicks off on Saturday 31 October and runs until Sunday 8 November. In total, seven films will be screened in locations such as the Glasgow Film Theatre. There are also a number of events celebrating Cuban culture during this week. These include salsa parties, food nights, discussion nights, and after parties.
The aim of this festival is to help the Cuban and Scottish film industries as well as encourage more people to learn about Cuba. Cuba has been going through a significant diplomatic change recently, with the US embassy recently reopening in the country and the Cuba-US relations improving. The festival focuses more on Cuban culture; the films being shown will portray a range of different aspects of life in Cuba. Films such as Day of the Flowers, which was written by the organiser of the festival Eirene Houston, is about two Scottish sisters who travel to Cuba for the first time in order to scatter their father’s ashes. La Pelicula de Ana follows a struggling actress who turns to prostitution, and La Pared de las Palabras is about a family torn apart when a member becomes disabled.
One of the bigger films playing at the festival is Conducta, which is about a teacher and some of her pupils from broken homes. The film was received very well in Cuba and explored themes previously never discussed in Cuban cinema. Because of this, it is widely considered to be one of the biggest films from Cuba. Its screening at the festival will be the UK premier.
Eirene has been travelling to Cuba for nearly 20 years and believes Glasgow and Havana are a lot more similar than people would think. Her relationship with the country encouraged her to create the festival. There are some special guests coming to speak at the festival including Hugo Rivalta, who will be hosting a history of Cuban cinema talk. Director Alejandro Valera will also be hosting some Q+A sessions after the screenings of Me Dicen Cuba and Boccaccerias Habaneras, which he edited. He now lives in Glasgow, adopting it as his new home, and works between Scotland and Cuba. Fernando Perez, one of Cuba’s biggest directors, will also present his film at the festival.
The festival begins on Saturday 31 October. To find out more, visit www.hgfilmfest.com.
