''Guantanamera'' is a 1995 comedy film from

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

, directed by

Tomás Gutiérrez Alea Tomás Gutiérrez Alea (; December 11, 1928 – April 16, 1996) was a Cuban film director and screenwriter. He wrote and directed more than twenty features, documentaries, and short films, which are known for his sharp insight into post-Revolu ...

and Juan Carlos Tabío, featuring an ensemble cast. Screenplay by

Eliseo Alberto Eliseo Alberto de Diego García Marruz (September 10, 1951 – July 31, 2011) was a Cuban-born Mexican writer, novelist, essayist and journalist. His numerous works include the novel ''Caracol Beach''. Alberto was nicknamed Lichi. Biography Albert ...

and others. The film was produced by Camilo Vives.

Synopsis

When Aunt Yoyita dies during a visit to Gina in Guantánamo, Gina, along with Yoyita's childhood sweetheart, the aging Cándido, must take the body to Havana. To their annoyance, Gina's overbearing husband Adolfo, a punctilious undertaker with political ambitions, takes charge of the journey, including several transfers along the way between hearses. On the road, they keep crossing paths with Mariano, a playboy trucker with a woman at every way station. He and Gina recognize each other: he was her student and wrote her of how much he loved her, then dropped out of school in embarrassment. Before they reach Havana, Gina realizes she can choose between Adolfo and Mariano. Besides being a romantic comedy, the film is noted for depicting life in Cuba during the "Special Period" of the 1990s, a period of relative poverty for Cuba following the termination of Soviet aid to the country. The male protagonist, for example, was an engineer under the Soviet-supported regime, and now makes a living as a truck driver.

Cast

* Mirta Ibarra ... Gina *

Carlos Cruz Carlos Cruz may refer to: *Carlos Cruz (boxer) (1937–1970), Dominican lightweight world champion *Carlos Cruz (television presenter) (born 1942), Portuguese presenter and convicted paedophile *Juan-Carlos Cruz (born 1962), celebrity chef on Food ...

... Adolfo *

Jorge Perugorría Jorge Perugorría Rodríguez (aka "Pichi," born 13 August 1965) is a Cuban actor, film director and painter. He is well known for his part as Diego in '' Strawberry and Chocolate'' (original title in Spanish ''Fresa y chocolate'' (co-directed by ...

... Mariano * Conchita Brando ... Yoyita * Raúl Eguren ... Candido The film is named after the song ''

Guantanamera "Guantanamera" (; Spanish: (the woman) from Guantánamo) is perhaps the best-known Cuban song and that country's most-noted patriotic song, especially when using a poem by the Cuban poet José Martí for the lyrics. The official writing credi ...

'' ("girl from

Guantánamo Guantánamo (, , ) is a municipality and city in southeast Cuba and capital of Guantánamo Province. Guantánamo is served by the Caimanera port near the site of a U.S. naval base. The area produces sugarcane and cotton wool. These are traditi ...

") – perhaps the best known Cuban song and that country's most noted patriotic song. It was Gutiérrez's last film.

References

External links

* 1995 films Cuban comedy films Films set in Cuba 1990s Spanish-language films 1990s comedy road movies 1995 comedy films Films directed by Tomás Gutiérrez Alea Films directed by Juan Carlos Tabío Lionsgate films {{Cuba-film-stub

Synopsis

Cast

See also

References

External links