One of the knockouts in a very strong field at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival here in New York was Una Noche, a remarkable, harrowing film about teenagers in Havana dreaming of starting over in Miami. The film won Best New Narrative Director, Best Cinematography (which is best described as rapturous) and Best Actor for Javier Nunez Florian, seen above with co-star Anailín de la Rúa de la Torre.
Then this happened:
“Two Cuban actors who went missing in Miami 10 days ago en route to the Tribeca Film Festival have surfaced, announcing that they are indeed defecting to the United States. “Una Noche’s” Javier Nunez Florian and Anailín de la Rúa de la Torre, both 20, made an appearance this weekend on America TeVe, a Miami Spanish-language station, saying that they were in good health and that they were seeking political asylum.”
Said de la Rua, who has two sisters and divorced parents in Havana, “In part it’s hard to leave your family and friends behind. But at the same time you do it so you can help them. There’s no future in Cuba.”
Kudos to everyone at the Tribeca Film Festival for programming so many terrific films like Side by Side, Yossi, Booker’s Place, Headshot, The World Before Her, and Wagner’s Dream.
I didn’t get to as many as I wanted to but here are a few more movies I am officially in love with:
Searching for Sugar Man —The story of Sixto Rodriguez has got to be one of the great untold sagas in rock and roll. Can’t give too much away (even if I did, you might not believe it), but see Searching for Sugar Man and add an astonishing new chapter to your understanding of pop music history. Don’t know Rodriguez? Check this out. Let Fury Have The Hour —Rousing documentary features Chuck D, Billy Bragg, Eve Ensler, Lewis Black and many many other groundbreaking artists talking about their rage filled responses to the soul sucking Reagan/Thatcher years. You’ll leave the theater wanting to create something LOUD. Essential. Journey to Planet X —Who knew that the story of two regular Miami guys making their own micro budget sci-fi films on the weekends would turn into an underdog classic? Hilarious and moving, Journey to Planet X is a love song to passion and hard work and beating the odds. Marvelous. Sleepless Night —Calling Sleepless Night another French cop thriller is like calling the Louvre another French art museum. Strap in, this could become your new favorite action movie. C’est kick-butt!
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