• Submitted by: admin
• Arts and Culture
• Caribbean
• culture an traditions
• Havana
• history
• Music
• national
• Paint and Sculpture
• 02 / 19 / 2009

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Through a grandmother who narrates her grandson the history of her country, Chartrand caught the attention of those present. The doors and windows and balconies were wide open and were the seats of this special dark but street room that was propitiated by the José Martí Pioneer Organization and the ICAIC right in the middle of the Caribbean Cinema Itinerant Exhibition.

In the close to ten minutes that lasts Âme Noire, its producer attempts to transmit “the identity, the recognition, the beauty, the courage and the suffering of the black people,” in a trip that takes dozens of curious people from Africa to the Antilles.

The tour proposed by Chartrand was undoubtedly exciting, as much as the eyes of the younger ones, shinier that usual, were lighting the dark night. “The part that I liked better was when the little worm ate the apple and then the bird came and took him. For me, that represents the neo-Colonial stage in Cuba,” stated convinced, for the surprise not just of this reporters, a small boy of just eleven years old.

Moved by this, Martine was also surprised. “It is amazing the intelligence with which the children make their reflections, since they recognize their history and that of other countries in the short movie. I perceive the main purpose of my work in their faces and judgments,” declared to Juventud Rebelde this moviemaker who won in the year 2006 the Berlin Golden Bear, for this same movie.

It wasn’t necessary for Martine to know how to speak Spanish; at least not for communicating herself with the neighbors who surrounded her full of emotions to give her their truest opinions on Âme Noire. With the help of her fellow countryman, the producer Frantz Voltaire, this woman, who has a sincere and wide smile promised that “on the next encounter communication will take place in Spanish. I wanted to visit Cuba since I was young, that is why I feel so happy here today fulfilling one of my great dreams.”

Just like this one that took place last Tuesday in Cayo Hueso, there were many other screenings that changed the rhythm of several streets all over the country. The truth is that the interesting proposals of the II Itinerant Caribbean Movie Exhibition won over even Páginas de la vida (Pages of Life), the ever hypnotizing soap opera in turn. Director Rigoberto López (Roble de olor, Puerto Príncipe mío, Yo soy del son a la salsa) knows that producers as well as the public who watches these exhibitions are truly thankful. “Guests live through unique experiences in these encounters. There is nothing better for an artist than to see their work being recognized and especially in such a young public,” states the president of the event.

“Children and adolescents, to whom this project is dedicated, demonstrate that beyond our ethnic, language and social differences, the Caribbean people are a great family. These tapes propose message headed towards our roots, as the only way to build a future where the right of children might be respected.”
When we left, the auditorium was still restless, maybe waiting for more charms coming out of the small TV set that was used as a giant screen. The promise: “There will be more screenings, the Exhibition is just coming to life,” was behind.

(Cubarte)