About the event
Join us for a screening of a documentary film exploring the state of Havana’s deteriorating housing stock, the lack of meaningful repairs by the Popular Power’s housing brigades, and the impact this disrepair has on the health and livelihood of Havana’s residents. Elena follows several residents in the Elena building located in Central Havana who, after a decision by the government to demolish the bathrooms and kitchens of the building, have been awaiting repairs since 1988. For anyone living and working in New York City’s public housing developments, this story is far too familiar.
Following the screening there will be a discussion with the filmmaker, Marcelo Martín, whose documentary represents one of the first contemporary investigative documentaries made in Cuba. Martín is part of a new generation of filmmakers who are documenting the serious issues facing Cuban society with the intent to provoke discussion within Cuba.He will be joined by Alexandra Halkin, director of the Americas Media Initiative, Damaris Reyes, Executive Director of GOLES, and Cathy Deng, Executive Director of CAAAV.The screening and conversation will be introduced by Sujatha Fernandes.
Read Sujatha Fernandes and Alex Halkin’s article “Stories That Resonate: New Cultures of Documentary Filmmaking in Cuba” about Elena and the context of Cuban documentary filmmaking here: http://lasa.international.pitt.edu/forum/files/vol45-issue2/Debates4.pdf
Cosponsored by The Center for Place, Culture and Politics, and the Committee Against Anti-Asian Violence (CAAAV), and GOLES (Good Old Lower East Side), a member-based organization that mobilizes public housing residents.
