The
HIFFofNJ presents the documentary
“Celebrating
Life in Unión” (Celebrando La Vida en Unión)
The 2nd Annual Hispanic
International Film Festival of New Jersey will be presenting a screening of the
documentary film “Celebrating Life in Unión” (Celebrando La Vida en Unión)
on Friday, June 29, 2018 at 7:00 PM at the William V. Musto Cultural
Center located at 420-15th Street, Union City, NJ. Free Admission.
Celebrating Life in Union is directed by Gladys Bensimon
and narrated by actor Andy Garcia.
“Celebrating Life in Union” is a story of the resilience and brotherhood of a
group of former Cuban political prisoners from the Second Escambray Movement in
the 1960’s. They were 17, 18 and 19-year old boys who fought alongside Fidel
Castro against dictator Fulgencio Batista. They later joined the
Escambray movement in Cuba to fight against Castro after he decided not
to call for election.
“Celebrating Life in Union” which has been nominated as “most inspirational” by
Doc Miami International Film Festival, juxtaposes these former prisoners’
stories with the stories of their families who tried desperately to maintain in
contact with and prayed for their survival in a tumultuous Cuba. The film also
interweaves stories told by prisoners from various prisons, about the physical
and mental abuse they endured during their 10, 20 and even 30 years in
prison. “These men were young and passionate when they initially joined
Fidel Castro’s revolution in Cuba to overthrow Batista,” said Bensimon. “They
were students, teachers, farmers, and businessmen who sacrificed everything
they had to change the course of Cuba for the better only to be betrayed by
Castro.
Producer/Director Gladys Bensimon
and Co-producer Drew Oberholtzer learned that a group of these former
prisoners, now in their 70s, was living and gathering weekly in Union City, New
Jersey to recount their tragedies and to celebrate life. Bensimon and
Oberholtzer, having recently completed an award-winning film documenting the
legacy of dictators in Latin America (Crossing Our Borders, 2010),
became curious to learn more about the prisoners’ experiences. The two began
attending the weekly meetings, and quickly discovered that their stories must be
told. Together, the filmmakers and the community helped gather the information
needed to produce this inspirational documentary and have their stories told.
Knowing that Actor Andy
Garcia has been a spokesperson for Cubans’ human rights, Bensimon contacted him
about being the “voice” of the Cubans’ stories by narrating the film. Garcia
enthusiastically accepted. The city of Union City, New Jersey is holding a
celebration with Garcia as a guest of honor for his contribution to this
project.
***
El HIFFofNJ presentara el
documental “Celebrating Life in Unión” (Celebrando La Vida en Unión)
El 2do Annual Festival
Internacional de Cine Hispano presenta el documental “Celebrating Life in
Unión” (Celebrando La Vida en Unión) dirigido por la cineasta
venezolana Gladys Bensimon y narrado por el actor Andy García el viernes, 29 de
junio, 2018 a las 7:00 PM en el William V. Musto Cultural Center localizado en
el 420-15th Street, Union City, NJ. La entrada es gratuita
“Celebrating Life Union” in es una historia acerca de la fortaleza y
fraternidad de un grupo de ex presos políticos cubanos que pertenecieron a
distintas organizaciones cubanas en la clandestinidad en los años 60. Ellos
eran jóvenes de distintos ámbitos sociales que lucharon al lado de Fidel
Castro, en contra de Fulgencio Batista y posteriormente formaron parte de la
contra revolución en contra de Fidel Castro cuando este decidió no llamar a
elecciones.
“Celebrating Life in Union” el cual fue nominado en 2012 como el documental más
inspirador por el festival Internacional de Cine, DOC Miami, yuxtapone las
historias de estos ex-presos políticos con las historias de sus familias
quienes desesperadamente trataban de contactarlos, mientras que rezaban por sus
supervivencia en esa tumultuosa Cuba post Batista. La película presenta los
abusos y físicos y mentales que estos valientes jóvenes vivieron durante
sus 10, 20 e incluso 30 años en prisión. "Estos hombres eran jóvenes
apasionados cuando se unieron inicialmente a la revolución de Fidel Castro para
derrocar a Batista," dijo Bensimon. "Ellos eran estudiantes,
maestros, campesinos, trabajadores y empresarios que sacrificaron
todo con el fin de cambiar el rumbo de Cuba, pero fueron mas tarde traicionados
por Fidel Castro.
La Productora y Directora
Gladys Bensimon y el Co-Productor Drew Oberholtzer se enteraron de que un grupo
de estos ex presos, ahora en sus 70 años de edad, se reunían semanalmente
en la Ciudad de Unión de Nueva Jersey, para recordar sus tragedias y para
celebrar la continuación de sus vida. Bensimon y Oberholtzer, quienes han
colaborado juntos en varios proyectos, como el recientemente galardonado
documental (Cruzando Nuestras Fronteras, 2010), se interesaron en las historias
de estos hombres y sus experiencias, y poco a poco ganaron su confianza y
la de la comunidad de Union City. El actor Andy García presto su voz
para contar a traves de su narración las historias de estos hombres
valientes. Andy García ha sido un vocero muy importante en la lucha por los
derechos humanos de los cubanos.
