Fidel

Whether dismissed as a relic or revered as a savior, many agree that Fidel Castro is one of the most influential and con... (more)

Whether dismissed as a relic or revered as a savior, many agree that Fidel Castro 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 documentary Fidel 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 including Arthur Schlesinger, Ramsey Clark, Wayne Smith, Congressman Charles Rangel and a former CIA agent 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 his rarely seen personal life. Bravo's camera captures Fidel Castro swimming with bodyguards, visiting his childhood home and school, joking with Nelson Mandela, Ted Turner and Muhammad Ali, meeting Elian Gonzalez, 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. (less)

In 1968, Castro took Landau on a weeklong jeep ride through the eastern mountains. There, he plays baseball with a group... (more)

In 1968, Castro took Landau on a weeklong jeep ride through the eastern mountains. There, he plays baseball with a group of peasants, visits his pre-school, and trades jokes with a 98 year old man. Fidel also listens to people complaining about food distribution, bad roads and transportation. The film contains archive footage of the Bay of Pigs invasions and scenes of Che Guevara, alongside interviews with political prisoners. (less)

In May 1968, just nine years after the Cuban Revolution, filmmaker Saul Landau was invited to join Fidel Castro in Cuba ... (more)

In May 1968, just nine years after the Cuban Revolution, filmmaker Saul Landau was invited to join Fidel Castro in Cuba for an unprecedented in-depth interview. Over the course of a week, Landau and Castro traveled through the island's mountainous terrain through a variety of settings, from military camps to a pickup baseball game to Castro's speech on the 15th anniversary of his attack on Fort Moncada which marked the beginning of the Revolution. Landau captured an unparalleled time into the relationship of the Cuban people with their popular leader, at a time when the country was being transformed internally while internationally vilified. FIDEL! was completed in 1969 using fascinating footage from Cuba's National Archive. It's U.S. release was met with violence in several cities, although it is now considered a classic documentary, and was recently restored and remastered by the National Film Preservation Foundation. (less)