Event

The Poet of Havana @ SLIFF

The Poet of Havana
Ron Chapman, Canada/Cuba, 2015, 97 min., Spanish & English
Saturday, Nov. 14, 3:30 p.m., KDHX
Internationally renowned singer/songwriter Carlos Varela is one of Cuba's most influential and well-loved artists of his time. "The Poet of Havana" celebrates his 30th anniversary as a musician in poignant performances and explores his cultural, political, and social significance. The film shows how he was influenced by his country's politics and people -- and how he in turn has influenced them through his struggle for individual freedoms and his efforts to build bridges between Cuba, the U.S., disenfranchised Cubans, and the people of the world. Shot in Havana, the film features unique access, exclusive interviews, stunning concert footage, and privileged backstage moments. Varela is fêted by an array of international stars, including Jackson Browne, Benicio del Toro, Ivan Lins, Luis Enrique, Juan and Samuel Formel, Diana Fuentes, X Alfonso, and Alexander Abreu.
Shown with The Bridge (El Puente) (Emmy Gyori, Cuba/U.S., 2015, 11 min., English & Spanish): Salsa musician Manolin "El Medico De La Salsa," exiled from Cuba for his political views, now is at the forefront of a new law that would allow him to return and perform in his home country.
Sponsored by Nancy & Ken Kranzberg