“Cubamerican” Doc. Premieres in Miami

“A living account of the Cuban-American experience”

HAVANA TIMES — This Thursday, September 4, Jose Enrique Pardo’s documentary Cubamerican will premiere in Miami. The film, produced by Daniel Bellas, includes interviews with renowned Cubans such as ballet star Lorena Feijoo, pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba and actor Andy Garcia.

HT: What inspired you to make this documentary?

José Enrique: The desire to keep my father’s legacy alive. He represents all things Cuban to me. I hope others will be able to use this documentary to educate members of their family and to show them where they came from. In other words, to teach them about their past.

HT: How did you conceive of this film?

JE: The documentary format has always been the best suited to tell the story of Cuban-Americans. We had a perfect opportunity to be objective, academic, intellectual, emotional and poetic. We never aimed at the political. We rather wanted to focus on what is obvious and tell true human stories.

HT: What do you believe could be the social value of this film?

JE: I believe it can be a living documentation of the Cuban-American experience for a given generation. We realize we are telling the story of a people at a given point in time. It was a way of paying tribute to our parents, who gave us this freedom and the opportunity to have a future where our dreams could be realized.

HT: Is the documentary related to your personal life in any way?

JE: I merely dedicate the film to my parents and to all Cuban parents who had the courage to do the right thing for their children and families.

HT: Tell us about your education and your work as a professional today.

JE: I am the son and father of two beautiful, successful women. Though I am a lawyer by profession, I consider myself a story-teller and have the intention of pursuing a career in filmmaking.

HT: What does the documentary have in store for us?

JE: A truthful portrait of the people who came to the United States and became Cuban-Americans.

HT: Where and when will the documentary be shown?

JE: It will premiere on Miami TV on Thursday, September 4 at 8 pm. It will then be screened in Chicago, on Thursday, September 25 at 9 pm, at WTTW11. We’ve negotiated other dates for showings in Los Angeles, New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia and a premiere in Cuba, so keep an eye out for that.

Fotos: José Enrique Pardo

Cubamerican Trailer from CUBAMERICAN the movie on Vimeo.