Cuba/France/Panama. Dramatic comedy, color, 80 min, 2012

Film info

  • SYNOPSIS

    In the Cuban village of Melaza, named after the once flourishing sugarcane fields, time stands still. Even when all kinds of things happen, nothing ever changes. The State pretends to take care of everything, but it shuts the rum factory and makes swimming lessons impossible. There’s no use complaining, think the inhabitants, that’s just how it is.
    Melaza is the heartwarming love story of Aldo and Monica, a photogenic couple who live in a much too small cottage with their fat daughter and grumpy grandma. They try very hard to earn some extra money. Their attempts finally get the couple into deeper and deeper trouble. But together, the lovers manage to pull through it.
    New talent Carlos Lechuga tells his critical story with humour and sparse dialogue, taking us on a journey to the beauties of rural Cuba. Far from the hotels and from Havana, but with a reality familiar to everyone who has ever been to Cuba – or faced a shortage of cash.
    (IFF Rotterdam)

    PLOT KEYWORDS:
    Cuba | directorial debut | revolution | rural life | love story | family & kinship | ideology | identity

    CREW & CAST

    WRITER & DIRECTOR: Carlos Lechuga
    PRODUCERS: Claudia Calviño / Inti Herrera
    CO-PRODUCERS: Paul Saadoun/Cyrille Pérez/Gilles Pérez/Samuel Chauvin/Luis Pacheco
    PRODUCTION SUPERVISORS: Alejandro Tovar/Bernardo Kenny/Alejandro Brugués
    CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Ernesto Calzado/Luis Franco
    SOUND DESIGN: Rubén Valdés
    ORIGINAL MUSIC: Jesús Cruz
    ART DIRECTOR:Alain Ortiz
    COSTUME DESIGN: Alicia Arteaga
    EDITOR: Luís Ernesto Doñas
    LINE PRODUCERS: Hanna Imbert/Nadiezdha Adames
    CASTING DIRECTORS: Libia Batista/Gloriana Reyes
    HAIR AND MAKEUP ARTIST: Catalina Montero
    LIGHT DESIGN: Iván Scull

    CAST:
    Yuliet Cruz. Armando Miguel Gomez. Lucho Gotti. Ana Gloria Buduen. Yaite Cruz. Augusto Posso. Jorge Caballero. Enithzabel Castrellon. Doris Gutierrez
    With the special appearance of Felix Beaton as Policía Veterano
    Waldo Franco as Juan and the child Carolina Marquez

    Production Companies:
    5ta Avenida/Promenades Films/13 Productions/Arte France Cinéma/Jaguar Films Production

    FESTIVALS & AWARDS
    • World Premiere – Havana International Film Festival, December 2012. Opera Prima Official Competition
    • International Premiere – Rotterdam International Film Festival 2013. Bright Future
    • North American Premiere – Miami International Film Festival 2013.
    • Biznaga de Plata Award. XVI Malaga Film Fest 2013.
    • Jury Prize. First Time Directors. Vancouver Latin American Film Festival 2013
    • Best Narrative Feature. Trinidad & Tobago Film Festival 2013
    • Best Film by an Emerging Filmaker. New England Festival of Ibero American Cinema (NEFIAC) 2013
    • Newcomer of the Year. International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg 2013
    • Critics Award. 42nd International Film Festival of Belgrade. 2014
    • World Showcase Award. Gasparilla International Film Festival. 2014
  • SINOPSIS

    Con el cierre del central azucarero, el pueblito de Melaza quedó devastado, sin vida. Aldo y Mónica son un joven matrimonio que no encuentra cómo sobrevivir. Apoyándose, tratan de salvar su mundo sin perder la fe.

    FICHA TÉCNICA

    GUIÓN Y DIRECCIÓN Carlos Lechuga
    PRODUCCIÓN Claudia Calviño, Inti Herrera
    COPRODUCTORES Paul Saadoun,Cyrille Pérez,Gilles Pérez,Samuel Chauvin,Luis Pacheco
    PRODUCTORES DELEGADOS Alejandro Tovar,Bernardo Kenny,Alejandro Brugués
    DIRECCIÓN DE FOTOGRAFÍAErnesto Calzado,Luis Franco
    DISEÑO SONORO Rubén Valdés
    MÚSICA ORIGINAL Jesús Cruz
    DIRECCIÓN DE ARTE Alain Ortiz
    DISEÑO DE VESTUARIO Alicia Arteaga
    MONTAJE Luís Ernesto Doñas
    DIRECCIÓN DE PRODUCCIÓN Hanna Imbert,Nadiezdha Adames
    DIRECCIÓN DE CASTING Libia Batista,Gloriana Reyes
    MAQUILLAJE Y PELUQUERÍA Catalina Montero
    DISEÑO DE ILUMINACIÓN Iván Scull

    ELENCO: Yuliet Cruz. Armando Miguel Gomez. Lucho Gotti. Ana Gloria Buduen. Yaite Cruz. Augusto Posso. Jorge Caballero. Enithzabel Castrellon. Doris Gutierrez
    Con la colaboración especial de Felix Beaton con Policía Veterano
    Waldo Franco como Juan y la niña Carolina Marquez

    FESTIVALES Y PREMIOS
    • Premiere Mundial– Festival Internacional del Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano de La Habana 2012. Competencia de Opera Prima.
    • Premiere International – Rotterdam International Film Festival 2013. Bright Future
    • Premiere Norteamericana – Miami International Film Festival 2013.
    • Premio Biznaga de Plata. XVI Festival de Cine Español de Málaga. 2013.
    • Premio del Jurado. Opera Prima. Vancouver Latin American Film Festival 2013
    • Mejor Largometraje de Ficción. Trinidad & Tobago Film Festival 2013
    • Mejor Largometraje de Nuevos Directores. New England Festival of Ibero American Cinema (NEFIAC) 2013
    • Newcomer of the Year. International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg 2013
    • Premio de la Crítica. 42 Festival Internacional de Cine de Belgrado. 2014
    • Premio World Showcase. Gasparilla International Film Festival. 2014
  • SINOPSE

    Com o fechamento da usina, o povoado de Melaza ficou devastado, sem vida. Aldo e Monica são um jovem casal que não acha a forma de sobreviver. Sempre se apoiando um ao outro, tentam salvar o seu mundo, sem perder a fé.

    FICHA TÉCNICA

    ROTEIRO E DIREÇÃO Carlos Lechuga
    PRODUÇÃO Claudia Calviño, Inti Herrera
    CO-PRODUTORES Paul Saadoun, Cyrille Perez, Gilles Perez, Samuel Chauvin, Luis Pacheco
    PRODUTORES DELEGADOS Alejandro Tovar, Bernard Kenny, Alejandro Brugués
    FOTOGRAFÍA Ernesto Calzado, Luis Franco
    DESENHO DE SOM Ruben Valdés
    MÚSICA ORIGINAL Jesús Cruz
    DIREÇÃO DE ARTE Alain Ortiz
    FIGURINO Alicia Arteaga
    MONTAGEM Luis Ernesto Doñas
    DIREÇÃO DE PRODUÇÃO Hanna Imbert, Nadiezdha Adames
    DIREÇÃO DE CASTING Líbia Batista, Gloriana Reyes
    MAQUIAGEM E CABELO Catalina Montero
    ILUMINAÇÃO Ivan Scull

    ELENCO: Yuliet Cruz. Armando Miguel Gomez. Lucho Gotti. Ana Gloria Buduen. Yaite Cruz. Augusto Posso. Jorge Caballero. Enithzabel Castrellon. Doris Gutierrez
    Com a colaboração especial de Felix Beaton, Waldo Franco como João e a menina Carolina Marquez.

    FESTIVAIS E PRÊMIOS
    • Premiere Mundial– Festival Internacional del Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano de La Habana 2012. Competitiva de Novos Diretores.
    • Premiere International – Rotterdam International Film Festival 2013. Bright Future
    • Premiere Norte-americana – Miami International Film Festival 2013.
    • Prêmio Biznaga de Plata. XVI Festival de Cine Español de Málaga. 2013.
    • Prêmio do Júri. Novos Directores. Vancouver Latin American Film Festival 2013
    • Melhor Longa-metragem de Ficção. Trinidad & Tobago Film Festival 2013
    • Melhor Longa-metragem Novos Diretores. New England Festival of Ibero American Cinema (NEFIAC) 2013
    • Newcomer of the Year. International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg 2013
    • Prêmio da Crítica. Festival Internacional de Cine de Belgrado. 2014
    • Prêmio World Showcase. Gasparilla International Film Festival. 2014

Screening

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