For this week we delve into films made by Sara Gomez, an inspiring Cuban filmmaker who had passion for her island, Rumba and of course family. Some of the films we had watched were Guanabacoa, Cronicas de Mi Familia, Una Isla Para Miguel, and Mi Aporte. The film that I felt left an impression on me however was Ire A Santiago as I thought it was a great survey of the eastern Cuban city, in comparison to the film we had watched prior, PM by Orlando Jimenez.

PM was a film in which highlighted the nightlife in the Cuban city Havana, showing people dancing all over, and showcasing integration between different Cuban residents. Collectively as a class we watched PM and Ire A Santiago, however in order to compare the two as Gomez’s film highlights the true integration of Cuban civilians as it highlighted the different roles, activities, and lifestyles that Cubans explore; rather than in PM, which solely associates Black Cubans with the nightlife. What I find interesting is the two perspectives both Gomez and Jimenez have on the two areas of Cuba. Perhaps they could’ve have grown up differently in their respective areas of Cuba, possibly holding different meanings of their island. If I were to film my respective home, I would definitely visualize the best aspects of the area and demographic, making it seem more glamorous, but Gomez was able to capture this mode of cinema by capturing the small intimate moments that make Cuba such a beautiful country to live in.