Interview made by Marta María Ramírez to Humberto Solás, 2005 National Prize of Cinema with motive of the 46th anniversary of ICAIC, published on Juventud Rebelde Newspaper.

The Cuban movie`s history started for many people a day like today, 46 years ago, with the foundation of Cuban Institute of Cinematic Art and Industry (ICAIC).

From that date on, the huge production was proudly enhanced by outstanding names, which attempted to shape a seventh art showing our national identity through fiction films, documentaries, news programs and animated.

In the middle of this cinematic production, the Humberto Solás`fictions, one of the pioneers of the so-called Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano (New Latin American Cinema), floaded the screens of this island going far beyond the boundaries, to achieve worldwide dominance as one of ourfamous filmmakers.

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__ How could you describe these times for Cuban movie?

It`s a very hard time. However, I think we must face the new situation, the enormous scarcity of resources and for this it`s necessary to place the speech within the parameters these new times demand. We can not imagine, not even suppose we can afford an expensive cinema.

Besides, our cinematic production has excesively laid on comedies, despite it is a pretty incisive and sarcastic medium, and it can`t be the total character of our production.

This can explain my main reasons for Gente de Pueblo, where I try on drama, inserting also, by moments, the tragicomedy.

In brief, the Cuban movie needs a proliferation of titles and an enhancement of its generic variation. This is my recipe, because it finally is just a cooker recipe.

__How do you feel being a Cuban director?


I feel proud by seeing large lines at the entrance of the theaters, even larger than those generated by a North American or French film.

Our cinema has grabbed hard on the group memory of those living this island and boasts people`s acceptance. It awakes curiosity because it sports very particular codes. It`s very iconoclastic, transgressive, arranging a sharp criticism within the Revolution.

__ Miel para Oshún and Gente de Pueblo are part of a trilogy, what`s next to close it?

This is a battle I have to face in terms of health, I don`t know if I`m capable or not to succeed. I`m planning to conclude with Inocentes, which will have ample contribution of children.

This film will talk about adults, but it will tackle the complex children`s world, how they see life, politics, how they discover the double moral and how this reality traumatically influences on them, evinced in surprising answers they give to their parents.

__ Humberto is pioneer again....

I don`t know if I can talk about this category. Maybe in the past I was a pioneer, because when I produced Manuela, Lucía and my first experimental short stories, we practically were out of antecedents. If we take into consideration my connection to the early group that had the opportunity of setting the Cuban image, light, color, the Cuban dialogue and the idiosyncrasy, I`m definitely a pioneer.

__ And you are also now a precursor regarding to digital technology...

It`s not about the use of technology but the concept. Digital tech was not created to establish fresh cinematic trends, but to favor consumption.
But the controversial group Dogma, having more less excellent works, produced films with small cameras used at parties for fifteen-years girls, reopening something which sounded rare, almost impossible for us: a cinema of art.

So, we have to take advantage of the technological development aimed at fueling the cultural cinematographic spirit of using few resources, because none producer can force you to make a commercial film.

__ In this sense, what has been going on with the International Festival of Poor Cinema`s three editions?

One of this festival`s main goals of is to focuse on the space for experimental authors, because here it is the stylistic source of the upcoming changes, logic in the art history. We probably are dealing with a New Cuban Cinema, lacking resources but boasting great creativity.

For this edition, this festival opens a space devoted to cinema pitchs, where recorded films will be featured with a faulty sound and the purpose of helping to finish them with group efforts.

However, the main success lies on the fact that, although in a non-confess way, directors, from the island above all, have enhanced our production, we all have gone outside with a camera to film our reality. I wish to never have impediments to do that.

__ You just came back from Spain, where you were readying Gente de Pueblo, fully filmed under poor cinema`s budgets. How was it?

Gente de Pueblo achieved its definitive structure in Havana, far from the Madrilean winter, from the equipments. I brought some screenplay versions and here some collaborators have defined the last and definitive one. In it we sacrificed some things, even characters, because we are not Hollywood and we have to build a one-hour-and-45-minutes work aimed at screening at movie theaters.

ADR (automatic dialogue replacement) process is not finished yet, I`ll be working on it. From here I`ll send to the editor in Madrid by e-mail details about negatives`cuts and some shots that are missing... the final sound mix will be in Spain.

__ You`ve said: Miel para Oshún is not an innovative or transgressive film... what about Gente de Pueblo?

It`s hard to have conscience of your transgressive skillness. My sister Elia Solás, the screenplay writer, Sergio Benvenuto and I think it was necessary to build another speech concerning to Cuban community outside, the split in families. We thought we must contribute to heal wounds. Consequently, we made Miel.... a humanist transgressive film thanks to its lack of prejudices. Maybe, it`s not a great film, but it also highlights as the first movie to enter the Digital Era.

On the other hand, Gente de Pueblo is a throwback to seeds. I wake up as film maker because of the Italian neo-realism and I just wished to make this sort of cinema during a stage of my life, but the outcome was so traumatic that I picked some other topics I was interested on, such as history.

Now, over the years and with the economy depressed, I retook dayliness, simple stories and characters. Gente... chronicles the Cuba of our times, not only the periferial part of the city but the countryside, it portrays the eastern provinces of the island.

__ Which are the more admired Seventh Art`s features in your opinion as viewer?

What I mostly enjoy from a film is its communication with viewers without concessions for the market.

I also feel delight before a very experimental film, because precursors are aimed at opening roads and turn the cinema history. That`s why, I adore Andrei Tarkovsky, Michelangelo Antonioni, Kievslosky`s films, the latter was a great film maker who died very young.

Then I debate myself among precussors`creations, made by men sacrificing their life status for nothing; and my preference also for popular streams full of respect and passion for the audience. A film attempting to make us reflect or questioning on obsolete values.

I believe in an ethic cinema, so I have limits with nihilists, defeatists; although I admit that those sort of films are an antidote to awake the human being.

__ Solás is accostumed to homages, however, close persons assured you received the news about the National Prize of Cinema in Spain with surprise and joy, How special is this prize for you?

It caused me great satisfaction unless provided it is not an invitation to retirement, because it is a prize you receive as national filmmaker. Its breadth amazes me and I`m worried in some way because it implies a lot of responsability.

This prize came to me in Spain, amidst the hardest freeze ever felt in 25 years there, it was like a warm breath. At the same time, persons who had not understand me, have come close to me to heal wounds. But we must be careful with this prize, it shoudn`t concern only to authors. Each member of this institution, including the last technician, the last office worker deserve this accolade.

I propose that one of these years, this prize can akcnowledge ICAIC for its effort to dignify the Cuban cinema. They shouldn`t keep on being anonymous heroes.

__ After being honored for your fully devotion to Seventh Art along more than four decades. Do you consider yourself as a successful man?

I should say I`m a sucessful man, because I`m still healthy. I`m fulfilling my dreams of being a filmmaker with great success, according to what some state, and with great failures also.

I have had the huge privilege of making movie and I`m still doing it, as far as I can.
So, yes, I`m a successful man.

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