TRAITORS
09/24/2001
Throughout
the world and for over forty-three years, ideological differences over Cuba have
been a sensitive source of dispute, tension, and conflict. Unexplainably, Hollywood has
chosen to essentially ignore the core of this subject matter or deal with it merely
superficially. Increasingly, certain film projects weighted with controversial,
intellectual quality have been a source of economic anxiety within the industry.
By largely ignoring or failing to truly engage more of these more challenging
contemporary moral-ethical political subjects of international importance, many of our
film makers have myopically allowed much potential to remain fundamentally
unrealized. Besides achieving a vivid insights here in America, a film that
dramatically and conscientiously approaches the central social and political issues surrounding Fidel Castro and his
government would also have very strong, worldwide, commercial possibilities.
Film offers a sense of relief from the trials and tribulations of everyday life through
the magic of filmmaking. Undeniably, the survival
of any business will always be subject to the whims of its market place. As any
conscientious business, the motion picture industry assumes its larger responsibility
when delving more
deeply and more directly into contemporary, personal, social and political themes. Through
genuine self-reflection, the film industry better avoids falling pray to excessively
trivial, supposedly market driven, yet socially limited fodder. Not underestimating
its public, many other current and complex topics, when honestly and dramatically
presented, can yet demonstrate extremely high commercial value.
Pearl
Film's
TRAITORS
will be such a film.
Our Country's Leadership:
Continuing its leadership in our rapidly changing world, America is reviewing some important
aspects of its foreign affairs. Our country’s most ambitious efforts towards more
successful international policies can be vulnerable to abject failure if not accompanied
by sincere efforts towards improved public relations. With a willingness to more
widely confront formidable moral issues, the time has come to further foster ideological understanding,
even compromise. Modern film-making, the most sophisticated international communication mechanism of any
country in history, remains at America's disposal. America can concurrently enhance its "image"
worldwide by more candidly and more broadly employing it.
Like any film-business endeavor, such lofty goals require wise ingenuity and a measure of daring.
But only through such courage can the film "community" continue to help our country,
our world, and humanity, grapple and prevail over some of its more difficult
human conflicts.
Only through such resolute courage can cinema continue to illustrate our culture and
to exemplify its
vital role as the truest art-form of our time.
Robert L. Chacona
Pearl Films, NYC
Some Recent Films about Cuba:
FOR LOVE OR COUNTRY: The Arturo Sandoval Story
(Nov. 2000: HBO)
Passion and patriotism
collide in this fact-based drama starring Andy Garcia as legendary Cuban trumpeter
Arturo Sandoval. To play the music he loved, Sandoval...
(...rest was cut-off on original HBO-Site/Web-posting)
This film is a intimate portrayal of a personal struggle for release from
individual and cultural oppression.
BEFORE NIGHT FALLS
(Theatrical: Dec. 2000)
Unquestionably, Cuban writer Reinaldo Arenas was one of the major talents to have
emerged from the Latin American literary boom of the 1960s; yet, running afoul of the
Castro regime as both a political dissident and an openly gay man, Arenas was harassed,
imprisoned and physically abused--all the more so because he managed to smuggle out and
publish his works abroad.
Showtime's 4 hour epic miniseries was reasonably shorter than most of Fidel's speeches. In this new presentation, "Castroism's" myth survives, even thrives, this time through calculated misrepresentation, blatant omission and, as always, malevolent contrivance. The myth of Fidel Castro as the "great revolutionary spirit of the 20th Century" is alive and flourishing.
Also
see other Cuba Films:
Azúcar Amarga: Bitter Sugar
The NY Film Festival Accused
of intolerance
Eight Ochoa or 8-A
(1993)
Nobody
Listened
(1988
Documentary)
(1975 Documentary)
* Please Forward & Link This Website: < www.pearlfilms.com > Thank You. *
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