Establish points of connection between the art piece and the sociopolitical context where it came to be - Essay Example

Number] I am Cuba Art is a form of human expression. Since early civilizations, it has been used as a tool to portray feelings and thoughts. If we look in to history, we find that the functions of art are many, many different reasons for which it created. For instance it may be for expression of imagination, expression of symbols or rituals et cetera. It has always been a powerful instrument of communication. It depicts the socio-political tendencies of its source. It affects its surroundings and has implications as well.

Art in its varied form, has always been used throughout the history to further a cause.I am Cuba is an art piece depicting the Cuban society post revolution period. The film was produced in 1964. The technique and beauty of its cinematography was revolutionary. It was so because of the assistance of Soviet filmmakers, who with their ingenuity had developed various techniques of filmmaking. Directed by Mikhail Kalatozov, the plot of the film is structured around the lives of four Cubans, portraying the diversity, as well as the nature of the rebellion taking place in the Cuban society.

The first story is of a girl named Maria, who works at a club in Havana. The story portrays the sharp contrast between the impoverished Cuban masses and the grandeur of American run gambling casinos. Maria live in the shanty town, hoping of getting married to her fruit seller boyfriend one day. A rich American gentleman upon meeting her at the bar, asks her to show him the place where she lives. She takes her and reluctantly lets him take advantage of her. While leaving the place, her fiancé sees his ashamed fiancé.

The second story is of a farmer names Pedro, who, after raising his biggest crop of sugar finds out that his landlord has sold the land where he lives. On telling his landlord about the crops he had raised, he allows him to keep the crops but asks him to leave. Pedro gives money to children and tells them to go out and have fun. Meanwhile he sets fire to his house and crops and eventually dies. The third story is of a student group lead by a character named Enrique at the Havana University. Enrique plans to assassinate the Police Chief, however he fails doing so.

Afterwards while leading a protest at the University he gets shot, when the demonstration turns violent. The final story is of a farmer named Mariano, who end up joining the rebels. The same rebels who march in to Havana to declare the revolution.I am Cuba, was not merely a cinematic exercise, it had a social political motive behind it. Soon after the 1959 Cuban revolution, the socialist government of Castro broke ties with United States and formed diplomatic and trade relations with USSR. The Soviet government saw it as an opportunity to promote socialism abroad and for Cuba it was a way of venturing out a cinematic presence.

Thus the film was made with the support of communist machine. Communists considered it a trophy for the celebration of freedom from the fascist bourgeois rule.The film however did not receive much appreciation. It did not echoed as intended. The style that it carried was somewhat Slavic, which couldn’t correspond to the Cuban cultural and political identity which was there at the time of revolution. The Cuban had their own national identity, a struggle of their own that carved the subsequent revolution.

The film however failed to project the distinct national identity of the Cubans, as it was a foreign project it just could not depict the distinct Cuban social, cultural and political intricacies. Works CitedEd Gonzalez. “I am Cuba, Film review.” Slant magazine 17 November.2007. Web. 24 November 2014.Peter Bradshaw. “Soy Cuba.” The Guardian 22 November 2002. Web. 24 November 2014.