The star Demian Bichir, second Mexican actor to be nominated for an Oscar, is in Havana with some of his famous family, one of the most influential artistic dynasties of the Aztec nation.
They are in Cuba featuring the Bichir in Havana series. Organized by the ICAIC, the selected films will be seen until September 24th in the 23 and 12 and Charles Chaplin movie theaters in the capital. The exhibition provides an overview of the work of these performers and is a review of the last decades of Mexican cinema with them as thread. The series began with the screening of The Alley of Miracles, 1995’s directed by Jorge Fons from the adaptation of the novel by Egyptian Nobel Prize Naguib Mahfouz.
As part of the series they also include El mural de Siqueiros, Un dulce olor a muerte, Hasta morir and Crónica de un desayuno, all filmed between 1990 and 2011 The sample also allows us to appreciate the performance of other important Mexican actors like Salma Hayek and Diego Luna.
Demian and Odiseo Bichir, with his father Alejandro, said that art, especially cinema, strengthen the historically close relations between Cuba and Mexico. Demian, 51, is known on the island for his work in A Better Life, for which he won the historic 2012 Oscar nomination as Best Actor, as well as The Bridge series. In 2008, he played the Cuban leader Fidel Castro in Che, the Argentinean and Che: Guerrilla, directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Benicio del Toro in the role of Cuban-Argentine guerrilla Ernesto Guevara.
The acclaimed actor, who spoke of his interest in filming with the Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar, said he is immersed in the post-production stage of Refugio, his debut film as a director. He assured OnCuba he is thinking to present it in Havana in December at the Latin American New Cinema Festival.
“I hope the film will be ready soon so that all Cubans can see on the big screen,” said the actor, who confessed his enthusiasm to participate in the International Festival held each December in the Cuban capital city.
“The film works as a sort of constant exploration, the search for love and how a child becomes a man in this process. It is a story of redemption told between the United States and Mexico, where chance plays a very important role. The cast is made up by many good friends, among them Arcelia Ramírez, Juan Carlos Colombo, Julio Bracho, Ana Claudia Talancón, Ludwika Paleta, Eva Longoria, American Jason Patric and Cuban Jorge Perugorría, who plays the role of a Mexican and on top of that, my father. He’s a monster, that Perugorría “he said.
Reluctant to interpret the stereotypical characters that Hollywood usually offer Latinos, Demian said that every time there are less interesting opportunities for actors in the region, it is not even easy for the one who has achieved significant recognition and filmed in Spain, Bolivia, Colombia, Ireland and recently in Argentina.
The Bichir family is recognized not only from the success within their country, it has also the approval by the toughest critics and fans of the action on its development both in the tables and in the set.
Bichir in Havana opens a new chapter in cultural exchange between Mexico and Cuba, especially for Odiseo and Demian, who see in this step a beginning to take Cuban films to their country.
Both brothers thanked the Cuban public affection towards their films and expressed mutual interest in collaboration with filmmakers from the Caribbean island also representing his brother Bruno, who could not accompany them since he had prior commitments.
During his stay in Havana, the Bichirs will hold meetings with students from the International School of Film and Television of San Antonio de los Baños and the public, which, as stated, they are very happy because they admire the Cuban people and the movies.
