Habaneros
(Habaneros)
Julien Temple | Documentary
2017 | 136 minutes | United Kingdom
With the lost city of Havana finally returning to the world’s stage, the definitive story of its history, its people, its music and its hopes and dreams, revealed in this stunning portrait of one of the great cultural destinations on earth.
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Synopsis
Acclaimed filmmaker Julien Temple (The Filth and the Fury, Absolute Beginners) celebrates the rich history of Cuba and its people in a documentary homage to Havana.
Released in North America for the first time, Habaneros weaves together unseen archival footage, animations, movie excerpts, and interviews. The film features a vibrant soundtrack of salsa, jazz, rumba, mambo, and hip hop, presenting key moments in the city’s recent history—from the abolition of slavery at the end of the 19th century to the revolution led by Fidel Castro—through Trump’s first election.
Habaneros was produced in the 2010s, a period marked by economic change, expanding tourism, and increased global exchange. The documentary takes on added significance when viewed from today’s perspective as Cuba faces a deep economic and humanitarian crisis, intensified by renewed U.S. sanctions. In this context, Habaneros captures a recent past that helps illuminate the social resilience, cultural expression, and everyday strategies that continue to shape Cuban life under mounting pressure.
Reviews
“Temple interpolates Cuba’s past and present; its myth and reality. The result is a history but an impressionistic one, implicitly emphasizing that the future is unwritten and that Cuba’s violence and corruption have usually been matched by resilience and resourcefulness. Chaotic and thrilling.” – Phil Harrison, The Guardian
“Unfolding a two and a half years process of research and filming, it shows history as much as it gives voice to specific and different interpretations of facts: to Cuban people of today who, despite cyclones and embargo, bureaucracy and Trump, keep on living in Cuba.” – Duna Viezzoli, Arte por Excelencias
Citation
Coming soon.
Cataloging
A MARC record for this title is not available yet.
Pragda subjects
Caribbean Studies
Culture + Identity
Fascism + Repression
History
International Relations
Latin American Studies
Music
Political Science
Keywords
Clips
Festivals
IDFA International Documentary Film Amsterdam; MoMA's Doc Fortnight; Buenos Aires Festival of International Independent Cinema; Sydney Film Festival
DIRECTOR: Julien Temple
NATIONALITY: United Kingdom
YEAR: 2017
GENRE: Documentary
LANGUAGE: Spanish; English
COLOR / B&W: Color
GRADE LEVEL: Middle School, High School, College, Adult
SUBTITLE/CC: AVAILABLE
AUDIO DESCRIPTION: NOT AVAILABLE
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