Harry Sinclair represented his film at the inaugural New Zealand/Cuba Film Festival Exchange, organized by SI CUBANZ FILMZ and Instituto Cubano Artes y Industria de Cinematografia (ICAIC), which opened at the Cine Chaplin in Havana on 7 February 2004 with an invitation-only screening of The Price of Milk.

Courtesy of Take Issue 35 from the Screen Directors GuildHarry Sinclair represented his film at the inaugural New Zealand/Cuba Film Festival Exchange, organized by SI CUBANZ FILMZ and Instituto Cubano Artes y Industria de Cinematografia (ICAIC), which opened at the Cine Chaplin in Havana on 7 February 2004 with an invitation-only screening of The Price of Milk.

Courtesy of Take Issue 35 from the Screen Directors GuildThe screening's reception was to be in the Cultural Centre across the road from the Chaplin, hosted by the major sponsors, Fonterra and New Zealand Milk.

But as anyone who has ever been to Cuba knows, always expect the unexpected! As guests began to arrive for the reception, a power blackout plunged a large proportion of the city into darkness. Fortunately, the foyer of ICAIC, located next door to the Chaplin Cinema, had its own limited power supply, so in inimitable Cuban style, men in suits and bow ties scurried back and forth across the six-lane street dodging cars and buses, to transport the cases of wine, cartons of cheese, and boxes of glasses to ensure the 'show went on'. Frantic telephone calls to the electricity company generated an undertaking to restore power as soon as possible...

As more and more people arrived for the screening, and it became less and less likely that power would be restored to the cinema before 11pm, it was decided to cancel the screening, but proceed with the introductory speeches - and party on! Mr Tipping gave an impressive and well-received speech in Spanish on New Zealand-Cuba relations and the importance of the festival in enhancing understanding between the two countries, Julie Webb-Pullman, Director of SI CUBANZ FILMZ, briefly outlined the selection of films encompassing 1966-2001, and Harry Sinclair drew many laughs, describing his film as being about the imagination, which in the circumstances was fortunate because they would all have to imagine seeing it!

After the event Harry told Take that the main parallel he'd observed between Cuba's film industry and New Zealand's was the difficulty of creating and sustaining a unique cultural identity in film.

"I guess that's the same for any small country," said Harry. "Other aspects of Cuban culture, especially music and literature, are incredibly alive. But they make only one or two features per year. It's just that making films is so expensive in a poverty stricken country - thanks to the American embargo."

When asked what recent Cuban films he'd seen he mentioned Strawberries and Chocolate. "It's about being gay in Cuba. It was extraordinary the impact this film had made on people's lives, in a country where gay people have been very oppressed by the government."

And he waxed lyrical on the subject of Havana. "I totally loved Havana. It's one of the most beautiful cities I've ever seen. Just to walk through central Havana is amazing, the life is all on the street and the people are wonderful.

"Life is tough there, no-one's got any money, but their warmth and joie de vivre is just astonishing."

Harry returned to London from Havana where he is working on his 4th feature project, "Surprising New Zealand", with his producer Fiona Copland.

Distinguished guests at the Cine Chaplin screening included New Zealand Ambassador to Cuba Mr Paul Tipping and his wife, Cuban Vice President of Arts and Culture Juan Ballester, Vice President of ICAIC and Director of International Relations, Susana Molina, Programmer of Cinematec, Antonio Mazon, Fonterra and New Zealand Milk representatives Alexandro Alavez, Jose Miguel Alavez and Rene Herrera with Cuban film makers Enrique Colina and Lourdes do Santos.

New Zealand films screened in Havana were the short A Moment Passing and feature Don't Let It Get You (Dir. John O'Shea - 1966); Utu, preceded by Fizz; Ngati preceded by Infection; Once Were Warriors preceded by Donuts for Breakfast; The Price of Milk preceded by Signing Off. (Sleeping Dogs, preceded by The Platform, was also to have been screened but problems with the print resulted in it not being available in time, thus its withdrawal.) Following the Havana screenings, the NZ festival travelled to Matanzas in Cuba for a one-week season.

A festival of 12 Cuban films spanning the years 1960-2002 will screen in New Zealand in October 2004, hosted by NZ International Film Festival - one-week seasons are proposed for both Wellington and Auckland.
Academy, Auckland Sept 30 - Oct 13
Paramount, Wellington Oct 7 - 20

* Memorias del Subdesarrollo (1968)
* Lucia (1968)
* Los dias del agua (1971)
* La ultima cena (1976)
* Retrato de Teresa (1979)
* Vampiros en La Habana (1985)
* La vida es silbar (1999)
* Plaff
* Entre Ciclones
* Maluala