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East of Havana review
:. Director: Jauretsi Saizarbitoria & Emilia Menocal
:. Starring: Michel Hermida, Magyori Martinez Veitia
:. Running Time: 1:22
:. Year: 2006
:. Country: USA/Cuba
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I'll just say it: I expected a lot more from East of Havana, a documentary about "El Cartel", a group of underground rappers in Cuba. Directed by Jauretsi Saizarbitoria and Emilia Menocal and produced by Charlize Theron, the Los Angeles Film Festival touted this as a story about a trio of charismatic performers bringing rap to Cuba. While we do get to know the rappers and their struggles (though we see them rehearse we really don't see them perform), their story is eclipsed by a quite different story that takes center stage.
The competing story is of family separation: one rapper's brother left for the U.S. by raft in 1994, leaving a family saddened by a departure and further complicated by politics. The pivotal focus is the Special Period in the 1990's when the Soviet Union collapsed and the U.S. further tightened the embargo against Cuba. Unfortunately, in the documentary the U.S. Blockade against Cuba is never mentioned, not even in terms of how tightening in the mid-90's has affected this island nation. Instead, blame is laid squarely on Fidel Castro's doorstep without in-depth analysis and explanation. Of course the filmmakers have every right to take their position, but it's not a complete, multifaceted picture.
We follow the three rappers and meet their families as they try to put together a rap festival without many resources. One rapper has had her brother jailed for stealing and her sister has been jailed for prostitution. Another lives with his grandfather and helps to take care of him. They are their own family; we watch them rehearse, fight, go out together.
While the narrative structure is incomplete the cinematography is stunning, and for that we have Christophe Lanzenburg to thank as the director of photography. Shots of people and places throughout Cuba are gorgeous. There is one minor hitch: obviously someone involved in the production loved The Kid Stays in the Picture, as the same technique animating still photos with juxtaposition and graphics is used here but to lesser effect; in the Robert Evans documentary there was obviously a lack of footage about certain events in his personal life, here it's not really necessary.
Charlize Theron and the directors were on hand to answer questions about the film. Interestingly enough, Theron didn't go as far to say that the Blockade against Cuba should be lifted but she did make the point that censorship in the US also exists....then again the filmmakers also made the comment that everyone in Cuba goes to jail, but that's just irresponsible to say and simply perpetuates Miami mythology.
In the documentary Great Day in Havana, more than one artist laments the fact that people come to Havana armed with cameras ready to take the shots of the preconceived idea they have in their mind and that Cuban reality is ignored. With East of Havana, in a sense, the filmmakers exorcise certain demons growing up in the fiery political environment of Miami, Florida as the children of Cuban exiles; unfortunately it's at the cost of the documentary's subjects and narrative structure. To watch a new musical genre take its form in Havana is exciting — you know if Cubans do it, it'll be fantastic.At the same time, bravo to them for heading 90 miles over.
Anji Milanovic
 Movie Reviews: from 1998 to 2011
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