Whether dismissed as a relic or revered as a savior, all agree that Fidel Castro, nearing 44 years as the leader of Cuba, is one of the most influential and controversial figures of our time. Rarely are Americans given a chance to see inside the world of this socialist leader. The new documentary film FIDEL by Estela Bravo offers a unique opportunity to view the man through exclusive interviews with Castro himself, historians, public figures and close friends, with rare footage from the Cuban State archives.
Alice Walker, Harry Belafonte, and Sydney Pollack discuss Fidel as a person, while former and current US government figures offer political and historical perspectives on Castro and the long-standing US embargo against Cuba. Family members and close friends, including Nobel Prize-winning author Gabriel Garcia Marquez, offer a window into the rarely seen personal life of Fidel. Part 1 (9:56 min)
Bravo’s camera captures Fidel Castro swimming with bodyguards, visiting his childhood home and school, joking with Nelson Mandela, Ted Turner and Muhammad Ali, and celebrating his birthday with members of the Buena Vista Social Club. Juxtaposing the personal anecdotal with history of the Cuban revolution and the fight to survive the post-Soviet period, FIDEL tells a previously untold story and presents a new view of this compelling figure.
glad to see you posted this one that I had mentioned awhile back… I’ve already watched it twice so wont do so again just now. This was very educational and enlightening for me. The film maker does a great job of telling the story….
I posted this before but those videos were taken down. The film is now again available so we are rerunning it.
ah, I see… between your collection here and my own documentary addiction I sometimes lose track of what is what.
Really excellent documentary… Thanks for posting.