In this offering from Belly of the Beast, Cuban documentary filmmaker Gloria Rolando is working hard to keep the country’s cinematic traditions alive by bringing weekend movie screenings to Havana’s Colón neighborhood, offering residents entertainment amid frequent power outages.
Using a portable projector, Rolando gathers neighbors to watch films, including the beloved Cuban animated classic “Elpidio Valdés.” Created by cartoonist and filmmaker Juan Padrón in 1970, Elpidio Valdés follows a fictional Cuban independence fighter battling Spanish colonial rule in the 19th century. The character became a cultural icon, appearing in animated shorts and feature films, including Cuba’s first animated feature in 1979.
The neighborhood screenings continue a longstanding tradition in Cuban cinema. Following the 1959 revolution, the government established the Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry (ICAIC), which launched mobile cinema programs to bring films to remote communities.
During the 1960s, trucks equipped with projectors traveled across rural Cuba, introducing audiences to movies, documentaries and educational films.
Today, Rolando’s initiative serves a similar purpose, giving locals access to culture despite the country’s electricity shortages.
“I was bored at home. I had nothing to do,” Yaisbel, a young Old Havana resident, told Belly of the Beast. She said she learned about the screening through flyers in her neighborhood.
Another resident said the screenings help keep children occupied during blackouts.
“We take advantage of the power outages to keep the kids entertained because these blackouts are terrible,” Raúl González explained.
Cuba’s minister of culture donated the projection equipment to support the neighborhood initiative.
“People are already suffering enough, whether from power outages or other problems,” Rolando Casamayor added. “This is a small contribution toward making our lives better.”
Watch the full clip below.
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