The Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry (ICAIC) chose the film Conducta, directed by Ernesto Daranas, as its candidate for a nomination for the Oscar award in the US and the Goya in Spain.
The film was selected by a committee in which the filmmaker Fernando Perez and director of the Exhibition of Young Cinema, Marisol Rodriguez participated.
Conducta expresses with “high film quality an authentically Cuban drama, at once universal,” the commission said and added it had conducted a “thorough analysis” of the films nominated among those released this year.
Conducta premiered in February with great public success. In its award-winning career in international festivals it has been described as a “tough, critical, sentimental, thrilling and controversial” movie.
Its director, who is immersed the first stage of in his next installment ¨Pink Smoke¨, told OnCuba of his satisfaction with the honor this ruling in favor of his second feature film represents.
“Conduct is a simple story that speaks of a boy with a lot of problems, and the importance for him his veteran sixth grade teacher has. It draws on our reality, in the aftermath of a quarter century of the special period and the impact of a set of measures that has failed to pass in real life of our poorest sectors. How does all this leave a mark on the children of these families? How important is the teacher to those guys? “the filmmaker said.
With these concerns, Daranas gathered a group of students from the Faculty of Arts and Mass Communication at the Higher Institute of Art, and began a research process that allowed him to see firsthand the reality of children and parents living in the poorest neighborhoods, visiting schools and meeting with teachers. Of these revelatory experiences a script was written by the director that tells the story of Chala, an eleven-year-old living alone with his addicted mother and training fighting dogs to gain economic support. Carmela is his sixth-grade teacher and the boy has great respect for her, but when Carmela falls ill and is forced to leave the classroom for several months, a new teacher, unable to handle the character of Chala, moves him to a behavioral school. This action will trigger a series of conflicts whose vortex is the relationship between Chala and Carmela.
To the director, the biggest challenge that Conducta raised apart from the complexity and responsibility of the subject, was working with children. “The greatest truth that the movie can transmit comes from the children; none had acted before and come from the same areas that the film addresses. We worked a lot with each boy looking for them not to lose freshness and could face the complexities of filming in which there were very difficult sequences. It was hard work, but very rewarding, “he added.
The character of the child interprets Chala Armando Valdes, selected in the casting called for that role. A teacher Carmela gives life experienced actress Alina Rodriguez.
This film has integrated selection of different competitions including the International Toronto Film Festival (TIFF) and the Bogotá Film Festival. He recently received the Best Screenplay Award at the International Film Festival of Brasilia and the First Prize of the Audience Preference 18 Film Festival Lima.
The character of Chala is performed by Armando Valdes, selected in the casting called for that role. Carmela is played by experienced actress Alina Rodriguez.
This film has integrated selection of different competitions including the International Toronto Film Festival (TIFF) and the Bogotá Film Festival. It recently received the Best Screenplay Award at the International Film Festival of Brasilia and the First Prize of the Audience Preference in the 18th Lima Film Festival.
To those we have to add the Award for Best Picture and Best Actress at the Film Festival in Havana in New York, and Biznaga Silver award for Best Feature at the XVII Malaga Film Festival (Spain).
Born in Havana in 1961, Daranas has among his films the documentary L Los últimos gaiteros de La Habana (2004), winner of the International Award for Journalism King of Spain; Broken Gods (2009), his first feature film, the Oscar contender in 2010, and Bluechacha (2012), nominated for a Latin Grammy for Best Long Music Video.
Authors
Cecilia Crespo,
cecilia
Felicidades. Hay que verla!!
Espectacular muy buena!!! Increible realizacion y las actuaciones de los ninnos….