student film

Julito slips away every afternoon in San Tranquilino, Cuba. The hours pass slowly until it's time to return home. On an island that seems frozen in time, he’s the only one who holds on.

As a massive hurricane bears down on Cuba, as society collapses around them, a cowboy and his mare mourn the loss of her stillborn foal. While the herd scatters into the wild brush and the sky darkens with fury, they hold on to a fragile rhythm of care and routine. In their sleep, storm and sorrow blur together, where the violence of nature reflects the crumbling of a world, pushing them toward an uncertain, fragmented tomorrow.

While a few years ago social media and a strong visual identity were a welcome accessory, today they are an essential part of political success. Jan Grolich, Christian Democrat governor of the South Moravia Region, is an example of a politician who has managed to effectively combine traditional values with modern marketing tools. He has gained popularity through his immediacy and perspective. He appears in the same way in Jakub Ondráček's observational documentary. It offers an authentic insight into the behind-the-scenes of Grolich's campaign before the 2024 regional elections, which were disrupted by floods. The camera impartially follows lively discussions about the design of election posters, the distribution of cake to potential voters, and the post-election dilemma of how to deal with results without losing the painstakingly created image of a person who wants to do things his own way. “Only if we achieve an extremely good result might my savior complex awaken within me, and in that case I might consider running for president. But I hope that doesn’t happen.” — quote from the film

Under the shadow of a regime frozen in time, two young Cubans find refuge in a lair of iron and gears. There, a strange rivalry emerges against an invisible presence that, in its silence, marks every aspect of their existence.

Miguel and his family are preparing to emigrate from Cuba to Italy where his mother already lives. While they wait, they begin to take the first step in the life of every migrant: learning the language of the country they want to go to.

During one of the most severe crises in Cuba's history, a mother and her son must face yet another challenge: the passing of Hurricane Rafael.

Evening falls and the children play in a town that seems suspended between the ruins of the past and an uncertain future.

Each year, nearly 450,000 Cubans leave their country. They cross the sea to escape a worn-out political regime, shortages, and hurricanes. In Havana, some mourn those who depart, while those who remain look for other ways to escape.

In 1987, a film school was founded next to a working-class town in western Cuba. For over three decades, hundreds of film students documented the lives of its people. Qué tiempos aquellos takes us to Pueblo Textil to explore what these memories mean today, what emotions they stir, and how they transform over time. A documentary about memory as both personal and collective experience.