The film’s screening at Havana’s Yara movie theater reaffirmed an undeniable truth: national cinema remains alive and continues to shine on the global stage, despite crises, misunderstandings, and obstacles.

Speaking exclusively to Prensa Latina, the film’s director, Jorge Perugorria, expressed his gratitude and joy at the audience’s positive response to the production, which stars acclaimed actress Mirtha Ibarra.

“We had already held a screening at the International Festival of New Latin American Cinema, and the reaction was similar to today’s; people engage with the ‘film-within-a-film’ concept and the cultural codes that are part of our daily lives,” the Cuban filmmaker noted.

In his view, “looking at reality with that sense of humor is what our mentors taught us: Tomas Gutierrez Alea (Titan), Juan Carlos Tabio, and that entire generation of great filmmakers.”

The film carries on that legacy, revisiting that perspective on reality and the critical mindset that speaks to the resilience of the Cuban people, he explained.

“Very happy” about the Goya nomination in the Best Ibero-American Film category, the National Film Award winner recalled the positive audience reaction at Malaga Film Festival—a source of happiness given his professional ties to Spanish cinema.

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