I found De Cierta Manera one of Sara Gomez’s most thoughtful movies, from the cinematography, editing, and the overall message of misogyny and masculinity in post-revolutionary Cuba. The film follows Yolanda and Mario as they tackle everyday life in post-revolutionary Cuba, for Yolanda it’s teaching in a school that she tries to improve by demanding a lot from the mothers of the kids, and for Mario, it’s working at a factory while keeping a good relationship with his friends by staying by “the code”. Yolanda is of mixed race and is considered a Mulata in Cuba, which brings up the “colorism” discussion in this film. Yolanda is a college graduate and an independent woman, which can’t be said for the other women around her. I found her character contradictory because she wants to do well for her students, but doesn’t see things from the other mothers’ perspective. Mario’s character development throughout the film is interesting because even though he has this built-in masculinity, he’s challenged to go against it throughout the film. This “code” that he follows is a prison of his own making and until he leaves, he’ll never be free to think for himself. I enjoyed every scene with Guillermo Diaz. the ex-boxer/ musician, and what he had to say to Mario. His story was sad and appealing and his songs were also nice to listen to. Overall I thought the film had a good timeless message that could still be discussed in today’s society.