Cuban Cinema After the Cold War

The economic and cultural changes Cuba experienced following the collapse of the Soviet Union compelled Cuban filmmakers to rethink the revolutionary values and esthetics developed after the 1959 revolution. Long-forgotten genres re-emerged, established auteurs incorporated new aesthetic devices into their films and an influx of foreign capital led to the repackaging of revolutionary ideology into more visually attractive narratives. Films such as Alice in Wondertown (1991), Strawberry and Chocolate (1993) and Juan of the Dead (2011) stirred controversy, criticized revolutionary discourse and helped establish new industrial models that allowed post-Castro national cinema to find global audiences on an unprecedented scale. This exploration of transformations in the Cuban film industry offers a detailed analysis of key post-Cold War Cuban films. Recurrent esthetic and sociopolitical tropes are examined to discover how Cuban cinema reflects the turbulent changes the island has experienced.