A journalist's report Mario Luis Reyes, in the independent press The sneeze, revealed chilling testimonies of sexual abuse at the San Antonio de los Baños International Film and Television School (EICTV) in Cuba.
"In May 2022, an EICTV student contacted me with the purpose of alerting me about different cases of sexual abuse and assault that had taken place in said center during the last decade. I began an investigation and have accessed various testimonies from students, from teachers, as well as other documentary evidence in relation to the reported events," Reyes said.
In its article pointed out that the information collected includes "reports of rape, sexual abuse, harassment, revictimization, and above all the mishandling of these situations by the management of the EICTV, which together was generating a toxic environment, unbearable for many. School students".
The EICTV, which boasts academic excellence in the Latin American film scene, is going through a serious crisis due to these allegations of systematic sexual abuse and the institutional negligence of managers in the face of said accusations.
The report brings to light a series of testimonies from former students that describe a pattern of violations and harassment within the institution. The complaints portray the toxic environment that he describes, where the alleged aggressors would be protected by their position of power, and remain unpunished.
EICTV, founded in 1986 with the presence of figures such as Fidel Castro and Gabriel García Márquez, has trained numerous film professionals from around the world.
Its integrative vision aimed to promote alternative film production against Hollywood dominance. However, it now faces serious questions about its institutional culture and questionable internal practices.
The victims' testimonies have been collected under anonymity, to protect their identity and career, and include accounts of sexual assaults not only by students but also by teachers and other members of the school community.
The institutional handling of these situations has been pitifully deficient, focusing on protecting the School's image instead of providing justice and support to the victims.
A specific case highlights a victim, identified under the pseudonym Lucía, who, after suffering a rape in 2019, encountered barriers and a victimizing attitude instead of institutional support and understanding.
The center's management, far from acting diligently, created an intimidating environment for her, even suggesting a direct confrontation with her attacker.
The investigation of these events highlights the pressing need for comprehensive legislation against gender violence in Cuba, a demand sustained by activists and sectors of civil society on the island for years.
"I hope that this work is also a first step that leads to new complaints and future investigations that point to figures who have accumulated some amount of power, both within the EICTV and in the film industry, and taken advantage of their position to abuse in different grades of students and colleagues," Reyes said.
Meanwhile, the EICTV and the Cuban educational authorities face the challenge of confronting this crisis with transparency and taking concrete measures to eradicate the gender violence and harassment in their institutional spaces.
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