Epicentro

Somewhere between North and South America, capitalism and communism, and the Soviet Union and the United States lies Cuba — regarded as a historical, geographical, and cultural intersection of various utopian visions. Although these visions have yet to be fulfilled, the people of Havana, whom Hubert Sauper chose as his guide, still cleave to them and continue to believe the stories of their ancestors. This spontaneous and melancholic travel essay confronts the unadorned reality of the impoverished island state and explores the myths its people live by. And despite the country’s long history of foreign influence, oppression, and political upheavals, these myths have ensured that the people of Cuba never lose their inner freedom.

 

 

“In Epicentro, I tried to reflect on these amazing and opposing terms, ‘utopia’ and ‘dystopia’, and thereby focused on Cuban society as a case study.” H. Sauper

Documentary filmmaker and traveler Hubert Sauper (1966) first studied film directing in his native Austria before continuing his studies in France, where he now lives today. He frequently returns to Africa where he also produced the investigative documentary film, Darwin's Nightmare (2004), which was nominated for an Oscar and won the Special Jury Recognition award in the Between the Seas competition section at the Jihlava International Film Festival. His poetic film, We Come as Friends (2014), also took home awards at Jihlava and a number of other festivals.