Things I Left in Havana

Description

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. Forced by their aunt (Daisy Granados, well-known star of Fidel-sponsored Cuban proaganda features) to work in her fur store, they are each in turn seduced by Igor, a dashing gigolo who barters sexual favors for the freedom in America that exit visas provide.

Customer Reviews:

Leave this movie in Havana too!!.......2005-08-29

I don't think there is anything good I can say about this movie that about three sisters who move from Havana to live with a distant aunt in Spain who runs a fur shop. First, the story is about one sister who wants to act on the stage and I can't say why the other two are in the movie at all.

The lead character, Igor, Jorge Perugorria, creates false passports and has a quest in life to date women from Spain. He becomes romantically involved with Nena, the actress who does get to perform in theatre. And, he is romancing the friend of their aunt.

If this movie depicts some perspective on immigrants hopes and dreams, then I sure didn't see much of that. If the aunt had ideas of exploiting them, I can't see putting them to work in her shop exploiting. When she attempts to marry one off, that storyline remains weak. In other word, characters, other than the main two, don't have any development. Oftentimes you might just wonder "why are you here and how do you contribute to the film?"

The movie was neither poignant, nor humorous, nor moving! To add to that, the Spanish filmmakers tend to use derogatory language toward women. There are sexual situations not suitable for children, or me for that matter. The DVD has nothing more than the movie but trailers and scenes.

So, "Things I Left in Havana" is the movie that SHOULD have been left in Havana. ....MzRizz

Fascinating, Refreshing Cuban Cinema.......2004-05-08

By far the most interesting movie about the cuban immigrant experience out there on the North American DVD market, this movie is refreshing in its artistic clarity. I first saw this film in the 1997 Miami Film Festival and then bought it in europe only to learn about DVD region encoding and the imposibility of viewing it on a region 1 DVD player. By the way the zone 2 DVD is far superior (ie subtitles arent burned into the screen)To the region 1 DVD. That being said, it is a masterful tour de force of the immigrant experience and not to be overlooked.

"When you emigrate, it's best to forget your memories.".......2003-12-09

In the film "Things I Left in Havana", three very different Cuban sisters, Rosa, Ludmilla, and Nena (a budding actress) arrive in Madrid at the invitation of an aunt. The sisters arrive full of hopes and dreams for a bright future. They each want a 'nice life,' but unfortunately, their aunt has some different ideas about what that means. The aunt now thinks she has new employees for her business, and she even begins to plot an arranged marriage. As illegal aliens who've outstayed their visitor visas, the three sisters have little choice but to comply with their bullying aunt's demands.

Enter Igor--a fellow Cuban exile who has some shady business dealings and some playboy habits...

Customer Reviews:

Leave this movie in Havana too!!.......2005-08-29

Fascinating, Refreshing Cuban Cinema.......2004-05-08

"When you emigrate, it's best to forget your memories.".......2003-12-09

Enter Igor--a fellow Cuban exile who has some shady business dealings and some playboy habits...

DVD:

DVD

DVD