Dublin, December 15, 2023. Sisters Babette and Suzel, aged 11 and 13, respectively, accompanied by their younger brother Hugo, residents of the city of Limerick, embark on an adventure to the largest island in the Caribbean, Cuba. Broadcast in two parts, the first on the 13th and the second today, December 15, the programs, each lasting 20 minutes, recreate the experiences of the girls during their stops in Havana and Trinidad, in the center of the country and the exchanges with children of their ages.
This is a project made a reality by the national press, radio and television network “RTÉ” (Raidió Teilifís Éireann), the country's largest public broadcasting corporation, composed of eight programs about different countries, under the name “Journeycam International”. Aimed at an audience between 8 and 12 years old, Irish children, armed with their own cameras, share their exciting journeys of discovery and exploration of their heritage, as well as cultural and family connections in distant lands.
In the case of Cuba, they achieve it through the González-Blodau family (Cuban resident and Irish) and their children born here. They film in Havana where they visit, among others, sites linked to Ireland, such as O'Reilly Street, which reflect the historical links between both countries and the famous boardwalk from which the Castillo del Morro fortress can be seen. In Trinidad, they share their stay with relatives, visit their cousins' school, play in the streets with them and enjoy the Cuban countryside.
Under the auspices of the Cuban embassy in Ireland, an “RTÉ” team, made up of Bonnie Dempsey (director and photographer of the project) and Aimie Gavin (producer), travelled to Cuba in May 2022, accompanying the family for the realization of the Cuban chapter of “Journeycam International”.