London, 16 June. Cuban cinema is currently enjoying a period of growing visibility and recognition in the United Kingdom. Classics and iconic productions from the island are appearing with increasing frequency in prestigious British cinemas, universities and cultural venues, driven by festivals, specialised screenings and the commitment of artists and supporters of Cuba who recognise the universal value of a cinematic tradition inextricably linked to the nation’s history and culture.
From the British Film Institute (BFI) Southbank to the Barbican, the ICA and The Garden Cinema, the works of great Cuban filmmakers are reaching new audiences and reaffirming the enduring relevance of one of Latin America’s most influential and original cinematic traditions.
The most recent example of this interest took place at the iconic BFI Southbank with the screening, in a restored 4K version, of *The Death of a Bureaucrat* (1966), a masterpiece by Tomás Gutiérrez Alea, ‘Titón’, presented as part of the 60th anniversary of its premiere. The screening marked the first official collaboration between the BFI and the London Latin American Film Festival, signalling the start of a promising dialogue between Latin American cinema and one of the UK’s most prestigious cultural institutions. The event was hosted by Cuban actress Ketty Rodríguez, founder and artistic director of the festival, whose next edition will take place from 2 to 6 October 2026.
The festival held a pilot event at King’s College London with a screening of *Fresa y Chocolate* (1993), the iconic film by Tomás Gutiérrez Alea and Juan Carlos Tabío that sparked an important debate on tolerance, identity and diversity in Cuban society.
The BFI has on several occasions screened key works of Cuban cinema, ranging from Sara Gómez’s *De cierta manera* to Sergio Giral’s trilogy on slavery, which was included in its acclaimed *African Odysseys* series. Furthermore, its film archive preserves important Cuban works that establish the island as an essential voice in the history of world cinema.
The presence of Cuban cinema in the United Kingdom is also evident through ‘Screen Cuba: Films to Change the World’, an initiative promoted by the Cuba Solidarity Campaign and the Music Fund for Cuba, which every March brings a selection of Cuban films to cities such as London, Oxford, Nottingham, Derby, Manchester, Leeds and various towns in Wales.
In Scotland, the Havana Glasgow Film Festival strengthens cultural ties between Glasgow and Havana every November through screenings and events at venues such as the CCA Glasgow and the Glasgow Film Theatre. Founded in 2015 by filmmaker Eirene Houston and Cuban director Hugo Rivalta, the festival celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2025, establishing itself as one of the leading platforms for promoting Cuban cinema in the United Kingdom.
These achievements are also the result of decades of work by the Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry (ICAIC) and of generations of filmmakers who, with creativity, commitment and a profoundly humanistic perspective, built one of the most respected film industries of the 20th century and so far in the 21st.
Seeing a London audience enjoy and laugh at *The Death of a Bureaucrat* in a 4K-restored version, six decades after its premiere, confirms the extraordinary ability of Cuban cinema to engage with new generations and transcend geographical, cultural and temporal boundaries.
Information and programme
• London Latin American Film Festival: https://londonlatinofilmfestival.org.uk/
• Screen Cuba: Films to Change the World: https://screencuba.uk/
• Havana Glasgow Film Festival: https://hgfilmfest.com/