The second edition of the Screen Cuba festival will be held from 16-29 March 2025 in the UK, extending its reach to more cities and prestigious cinemas in London. With a diverse selection of films, from classics to recent productions, the event aims to promote Cuban cinema and generate a space for cultural exchange.
In addition to the screenings, it will feature the participation of prominent Cuban specialists, talks with young university students and meetings with the public.
Organised by the Cuba Solidarity Campaign and the Cuban Music Fund, the festival also raises funds for the restoration and preservation of Cuba's film heritage.
The Screen Cuba festival will soon begin its second edition from 16 to 29 March 2025 in the United Kingdom, consolidating itself as a key space for the dissemination of Cuban cinema internationally. On this occasion, the event will expand to other cities, offering an in-depth look at Cuban history and reality through films that are rarely screened in the UK.
Among the titles that British audiences will be able to enjoy for the first time are Memories of Underdevelopment (1968), Nelsito's World (2023), The Documentary People (2022) and A Night with the Rolling Stones (2023). You can also enjoy classics such as Clandestinos (1987), Guantanamera (1995) and Retrato de Teresa (1979). Sara Gómez's documentary trilogy on the re-education of young people will also be screened, as well as short animated films by Elpidio Valdés and emblematic documentaries such as Ciclón (1963), El funeral de Benny Moré (1963) and Cerro Pelado (1963).
Expectations for this edition are high, with screenings in prestigious London cinemas such as The Garden Cinema and the Institute of Contemporary Arts, ensuring greater visibility and participation.
Screen Cuba will also feature two special guests: Gladys González Martínez, vice-president of the Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry (ICAIC), and Silvia Padrón Durán, a specialist in Cuban cinema and daughter of Juan Padrón, creator of the iconic character Elpidio Valdés. Both will present films and exchange impressions with the audience, enriching the festival experience.
Organised by the Cuba Solidarity Campaign and the Cuban Music Fund, in collaboration with ICAIC, the festival not only celebrates Cuba's outstanding film industry, but also raises funds for the restoration of classic films and the acquisition of essential equipment for film distribution on the island. Thanks to this effort, the restoration of two animated short films by Juan Padrón has already been funded and will be presented in 2025, contributing to the preservation of Cuba's film heritage.
In addition to the screenings, the festival will offer parallel activities, such as talks with young university students at Birkbeck University and dialogues with the public, and exchanges with British specialists, encouraging a closer approach to Cuban culture and its cinema. These initiatives seek to strengthen cultural ties between Cuba and the UK, promoting a deeper understanding of the island's identity and history through the seventh art.
More information and programme of the event at: https://screencuba.uk/