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The Portrayal of Race and Gender in Revolutionary Cuban Cinema

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Bartley, Sarah

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Cinema has been one of the most useful tools to portray the political and social beliefs prevalent during a given point in history. Following the Cuban Revolution, once-marginalized communities were given far more opportunity to participate in education, in the workforce, and in society. Institutionalized racism and sexism were combatted as Fidel Castros major areas of focus after the Cuban Revolutions 1959 victory. Class issues were improved as the wealth inequality that had defined pre-Revolutionary Cuba was minimized following the nationalizing of private property. Despite these improvements, however, there remained sentiments of dissatisfaction regarding social issues in Revolutionary Cuba, including continued racism and sexism. Films produced after the Revolution give insight into these social issues that certain communities still faced while also highlighting the Revolutions vital role in reversing some issues of pre-Revolutionary Cuba. The importance that the Revolutionary government placed on cinema cannot be overstated. It founded the state-run production company, the Instituto Cubano del Arte e Industria Cinematogrficos (ICAIC) as a means to promote the Revolution through film in order to reach a large audience. Toms Gutierrez Alea, founding member of the ICAIC and lifelong loyalist to the Revolution, makes his opinions regarding issues of race and gender in Cuba known through his films La ltima cena, Hasta cierto punto, and El arte de tobaco. Likewise, Afro-Cuban filmmaker and member of the ICAIC Sara Gmez portrayed race and gender relations in Revolutionary Cuba in her films Ir a Santiago and De cierta manera, and reflects her beliefs through...
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Created Date:
2021 04 14 T07:00:00 Z
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