Widespread Blackouts Disrupt Havana Film Festival

The 45th Havana International Festival of New Latin American Cinema, a historic emblem of cinematic culture in the region, has been significantly disrupted by ongoing power outages plaguing Cuba's capital. One of the most anticipated films of the event, "Matar a un hombre", directed by Orlando Mora Cabrera, could not be screened due to electrical supply failures, sparking a wave of criticism on social media and among attendees.

The director expressed his frustration over the inadequate conditions for hosting the festival, which has faced both organizational and technical challenges. Despite organizers' promises to reschedule, the public, including international guests, has voiced dissatisfaction with the subpar execution of one of the country's most prominent cultural events.

Actress and filmmaker Kiriam Gutiérrez, a team member, expressed her outrage following the cancellation of two film screenings due to blackouts, labeling the festival as a "shame of an organization." In a passionate social media post, Gutiérrez lamented, “Why insist on hosting an international film festival without the minimum conditions, such as electrical service, cinemas, and adequate equipment and facilities? The setup, the kiosks, the mobile public bathrooms placed right on Avenue 23 at the doors of ICAIC are a true affront to the festival we once had. The stench of urine and feces mixed with the aroma of fried chicken reached the doors of the darkened Cine 23 y 12.”

Gutiérrez also pointed out that part of the film's team, trained at the International School of Film and Television (EICTV), traveled from other countries for the premiere, intensifying the sense of frustration: “This remains our dream, the dream of many filmmakers, for their homeland to enjoy cinema. This film has already premiered at the international festivals in Lisbon and Guatemala, but Havana and Cuba have aborted our cinema. Shame on the festival, shame on the organization, shame on the institution. And still, they wonder why we don’t remain silent. Because cinema pains us, art pains us, Cuba pains us.”

In contrast, the premiere of the first two episodes of the series "One Hundred Years of Solitude", based on the work of Gabriel García Márquez and produced by Netflix, successfully took place at Cine Yara, drawing an enthusiastic crowd. However, this successful event starkly contrasts with the logistical and technical difficulties that have affected many other festival productions.

The blackouts, as confirmed by the Electric Union, are due to a deficit in energy generation, impacting not only the daily life of Havana's residents but also significant cultural events like the festival. Reports of gas leaks and power cuts in Havana's tenements highlight the precarious conditions in which many families must also endure.

The Havana International Festival of New Latin American Cinema, once a cultural pride and a platform for Latin American cinema, seems to have met the same fate as many things in Cuba: deterioration, precariousness, and lack of resources. What was once an international beacon now struggles to maintain its relevance amidst conditions that fall short of its history and legacy. Meanwhile, artists and filmmakers raise their voices to remember what this festival represented and what it could still mean if art and culture were prioritized as a means to rekindle hope in a crisis-ridden Cuba.