The film “Vientos de La Habana” (Winds of Lent-2016) by Spanish filmmaker Félix Viscarret was the first of the tributes to the author of detective Mario Conde’s saga, embodied by outstanding Cuban actor Jorge Perugorría, who starred the classic film “Fresa y Chocolate” (Strawberry and Chocolate, 1993).

In his opening remarks, Casa de América’s director Enrique Ojeda considered Padura one of the most relevant figures of Ibero-American literature.

Hosted by Mariela Besuievsky, producer of the film, and the participation of Viscarret and Padura himself, the writer acknowledged that his books to movies had a lot of dedication.

Padura thanked Casa de America for dedicating the Writers’ Week to him and noted that all his work is a love song to Cuba.

The event will last until Friday, December 15, and will include several activities related to his work.

The prolific Cuban writer’s recognition emerges from an original idea of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) that the Casa de America has organized since 2000.

Born in Havana in 1955, Padura won the Princess of Asturias Prize for Literature 2015 for his vast work.

jrr/iff/lam/ft