To feel the new Havana

Last Sunday, I went to the Charles Chaplin movie theater to fulfill an only purpose: watch Fernando Perez' latest fiction film in competition at the 38th edition of the New Latin American Film Festival.

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14 de diciembre de 2016 - By Lester Upierre

Last Sunday, I went to the Charles Chaplin movie theater to fulfill an only purpose: watch Fernando Perez' latest fiction film in competition at the 38th edition of the New Latin American Film Festival.

Fernando, whose simplicity and genius surprise anyone, officially presented his movie in Cuba, describing it as a story of friendship taking place at a family house in Havana, full of important stories.

Miguel, a stoic human being whose feelings are never shown, works as washdisher at a private restaurant; since all he wants to is to migrate to the United States. While he waits for the longing letter, he faces the everyday life with idleness, expecting no more than a new dawn with a better news.

On the other hand, Diego, a charismatic and very sensitive homosexual, is lying at a house family room, waiting that death does not overcome his struggle against AIDS. He is prostrated for life, though he never stops smiling to life, to which he clings on to life and strongly fights against his family, who is only interested in inheriting his appartment once he dies.

Miguel and Diego are forever friends; they live together, but are not a couple. They are only linked by a big friendship, based on a permanent support. Diego does not want to leave this world, until not seeing Miguel achieve his longing wish, and Miguel does not want to leave Diego unless the unexpected happens. Thus, the last days in Havana take place, surrounded by the cruel social and personal reality prevailing at some places of the city.

Patricio Wood, incarnating Miguel, gives us a an exercise in deep introspection, by means of which his eyes and face are the only keyhole through which the viewer might decipher his enigma; and I say might, since Miguel is, as another character said, a big owl who sits undisturbed to observe what happens around him.

Meanwhile, Jorge Martínez, incarnating Diego, does, in my view, an excellent and memorable performance. Without being humorous or disrespectful, as it often occurs when performing characters like this one, his Diego represents an age; he is open, sincere, emphatic clear in his focus. Each gesture, word or voice tone makes him closer to the audience by his honest and deep performance.

Last days in Havana is a melodrama about friendship, tolerance, suppresing prejudices and respect. In it, Fernando Pérez is often supported on the close up shots, to reaffirm feelings. It is deliberately a clear movie, whose final moments are heartrending love witnesses that may be felt by two humans who not even fully understand each other.

Among the films to be shown at this festival's edition, this one is, undoubtedly, one I recommend. Cuban humor tints those sour moments, and the reality is freely represented. Although, saying all we think, as the character Yurisleydis does it, is not always the most appropriate; however, this movie speaks by itself and allows us see the Cuban of these times interacting with their relatives and environment.

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