I like to reply to Chris Docker's comments and his criticisms of "East of Havana." He accuses the filmmakers of being biased.
Let me start by stating that I saw the movie last night and I loved it. I did not see it as being biased. It is simply the story of poor black Cubans from Alamar-- a black slum "East of Havana" thereby the title-- and their struggles to get a Rap Festival going on in a country where repression and censorship is the rule-of-thumb. That they are unhappy with the totalitarian dictatorship and voice their opinion on it is not surprising. It's easy to be critical of people living under a repressive government if one like Mr. Docker, lives in a democracy like the U.K. Apparently, Mr. Docker wants the folks in the documentary to repeat the Castro mantra that the U.S. embargo-- which Mr. Docker wrongly calls a "blockade"--is the culprit of all of Cuba's problems. Cubans are not stupid. They understand that Castro and his tyranny with it's ridiculous laws is the real culprit. What happened to the billions of dollars that the former U.S.S.R. gave Cuba? Did you know that the U.S.S.R. gave Castro more money during its 30 year patronage of Cuba than the U.S. gave all of Europe under the Marshall plan? Cubans know the truth. What this movie demonstrates is that poor black Cbuans whom Castro claimed that he made his revolution for are very unhappy with his rule and like anyone else yearn for democracy, freedom and prosperity. By the way, I understand that since the movie was made, any independent rappers have been suppressed.
I tip my hat off to the brave men and women who had the courage to voice their opinions on film in a country where any form of dissent can lead to years in the most sordid prisons.
It's a great movie. I recommend all to go see it.
Let me start by stating that I saw the movie last night and I loved it. I did not see it as being biased. It is simply the story of poor black Cubans from Alamar-- a black slum "East of Havana" thereby the title-- and their struggles to get a Rap Festival going on in a country where repression and censorship is the rule-of-thumb. That they are unhappy with the totalitarian dictatorship and voice their opinion on it is not surprising. It's easy to be critical of people living under a repressive government if one like Mr. Docker, lives in a democracy like the U.K. Apparently, Mr. Docker wants the folks in the documentary to repeat the Castro mantra that the U.S. embargo-- which Mr. Docker wrongly calls a "blockade"--is the culprit of all of Cuba's problems. Cubans are not stupid. They understand that Castro and his tyranny with it's ridiculous laws is the real culprit. What happened to the billions of dollars that the former U.S.S.R. gave Cuba? Did you know that the U.S.S.R. gave Castro more money during its 30 year patronage of Cuba than the U.S. gave all of Europe under the Marshall plan? Cubans know the truth. What this movie demonstrates is that poor black Cbuans whom Castro claimed that he made his revolution for are very unhappy with his rule and like anyone else yearn for democracy, freedom and prosperity. By the way, I understand that since the movie was made, any independent rappers have been suppressed.
I tip my hat off to the brave men and women who had the courage to voice their opinions on film in a country where any form of dissent can lead to years in the most sordid prisons.
It's a great movie. I recommend all to go see it.