AFRO-CUBA: YESTERDAY AND TODAY
Directed by Octavio Cortazar, 1992

Two exciting, colorful films spotlight the African roots of Cuba's culture by focusing on two legendary artists in this unique 2-DVD set. The life of Cuba's last great rumbero is detailed in The Last Rumba of Papa Montero, a bold story that captures Cuban traditions and culture through beautiful imagery, sensual music, and the most scorching Latin dance ever invented. Acclaimed filmmaker Sara Gomez comes to life in the rich, multilayered documentary Sara Gomez: An Afro-Cuban Filmmaker. Though trained in ethnography, Gomez became the first female Cuban filmmaker. In Spanish with English subtitles.

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THE COLORS OF CURAÇAO -
AVA & GABRIEL: A LOVE STORY/PAPA'S SONG
Ava & Gabriel directed by Felix de Rooy, 1990
Papa's Song directed by Sander Franken, 1999

This two-DVD set serves as a window into the charming world of Curaçao, part of the Dutch-owned Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean. Writer Norman DePalm offers two romantic dramas that bring to light the culture and character of the island. In Ava & Gabriel: A Love Story, Surinam artist Gabriel Goedbloed arrives from Holland to paint a mural of the Virgin Mary in St. Anna's Church, which surprises the people of the Curaçaon village who did not realize he was black. Papa's Song is a similar tale of culture clash but in reverse: Nico and Shirley live a quiet life in Holland with their two nephews, but their household is turned upside down when the boys' colorful mother arrives from Curaçao.

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GUAGUASI
Directed by Jorge Ulla, 1979

Seen through the eyes of a dismally naïve peasant who falls in love with a Havana chorus girl, Guagausi is a mesmerizing view of the Cuban Revolution. Spanish with English subtitles.

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HE WHO HITS FIRST, HITS TWICE:
THE URGENT CINEMA OF SANTIAGO ALVAREZ
Directed by Santiago Alvarez, 1965-73

The head of the newsreel division of the Cuban Film Institute, Alvarez turned the conventional, utilitarian format into hard-hitting, radical agitprop by using found footage and combining it with a graphic sensibility, rapid-fire editing, and bold musical choices. Often improvising instead of using a storyboard or shot list, he forged a personal style within the confines of a state-supported system. Later, when he produced full-fledged documentaries, he retained his innovative techniques and improvisational approach.

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KRIK? KRAK! TALES OF A NIGHTMARE
Directed by Jac Avila & Vanyoska Gee, 1987

Krik? Krak! pushes the political documentary into the realm of fantasy as the story of Haiti's misery under two generations of Duvaliers is told impressionistically by filmmakers Jac Avila and Vanyoska Gee. Documents of daily life, including an interview with Papa Doc Duvalier himself, combine with scenes from fiction films to depict what a conventional documentary cannot—the shifts between levels of reality in Haitian life.

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DANY LAFERRIÈRE:
FILMS FROM A POET'S IMAGINATION
2004

The mystery and wonder of modern-day Haiti come alive in this two-film, two-disc set based on the work of writer-director Dany Laferrière. In How to Conquer America in One Night, handsome Gégé, a Haitian in his thirties, arrives in Montreal at the doorstep of his Uncle Fanfan determined to be successful by charming blondehaired women. During the course of one night out on the town, Gégé and Fanfan discover fun, friendship, and fantasies—with the help of twins Andree and Denise. On the Verge of a Fever is set in 1971, against the backdrop of Haiti's brutal dictatorship and features younger incarnations of Fanfan and Gégé. Fanfan finds himself in deep trouble after an incident with the Tonton-Macoute, Haiti's bloodthirsty military police force. He holes up with a beautiful neighbor in her house, where his life will drastically change. In French with English subtitles.

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THE PARADISE UNDER THE STARS
Directed by Gerardo Chijona, 2000

Beautiful Sissy wants to be a dancer at the Tropicana like her mother before her, but her truck driving father forbids it. She goes against his wishes and pursues her dream, but once Sergito, a handsome man who may or may not be Sissy's brother, enters the picture, many hilarious complications ensue. In Spanish with English subtitles.

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THINGS I LEFT IN HAVANA
Directed by Manuel Gutierrez Aragon, 1997

Funny, poignant, and refreshing, Things I Left in Havana sensitively explores the sense of loss felt by immigrants who discover that their dreams come with a high price. Three Cuban sisters come to Spain in search of a better life, but they must contend with exploitation and seduction as they pursue the capitalist dream. In Spanish with English subtitles.

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