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.

I found Agnès Varda’s Salut les Cubains to be an inspiring documentary, filled with Afro-Cuban pride, art, and history. Agnes Varda’s use of photos to create a stock motion dance sequence with Cuban music was a great touch, editing pictures and music to give the viewer a better sense of the culture on screen. This is highlighted in the opening stock motion sequence and the pictures of Cuban women in their dresses. This documentary introduced me to Sara Gomez, the first black woman to direct movies in Cuba, which I found fascinating. Sara Gomez’s emphasis on social change and revolutionary ideology through her films is amazing and truly inspiring to any filmmaker. It was heartwarming to see her friends and family look back and reminisce about their time with Sara. It helped connect the past to the present, especially seeing the actors then and now. I like that her work highlights black culture in Cuba and the discrimination of black Cubans.  I found it fitting that Agnes Vardas also did a black panther documentary, connecting the civil rights movement and the Cuban revolution in ways that they both fought for a change in the system.