Only "Lucía" is safe: the rest of the work by Cuban filmmaker Humberto Solás is at risk of disappearing

Only one of the films by the Cuban filmmaker Humberto Solás (1941-2008), Lucía (1968), has been restored, but the rest of his work is at risk of being permanently lost due to physical deterioration, lack of digitization, and disinterest from Cuban cultural authorities.

Most of the creations of one of the key figures in Cuban and Latin American cinema face similar challenges to a significant portion of Cuba's cinematic and audiovisual heritage: a lack of resources for preservation, along with instability in temperatures and humidity.

The situation was reported by Sergio Benvenuto Solás, president of the International Poor Film Festival of Gibara (FICG), who warned that the preservation of the country’s audiovisual heritage is facing a moment of “high risk”.

Protecting Solás's cinematographic work requires a comprehensive strategy that includes both the physical preservation of his films and the promotion of their cultural value, Benvenuto warned, in a text published by the news agency IPS.

He is also the nephew of the director of Cecilia (1982), Amada (1983), A Man of Success (1986), and The Century of Lights (1992). He pointed out that it is necessary to establish a unified cataloging system that includes not only the films but also complementary materials such as unpublished scripts, critical texts, awards, and costume designs.

This cataloging, he emphasized, “must have the support of official policies and collaboration with international institutions that recognize Cuban cinema as cultural heritage.”

A process of this magnitude would not only contribute to the protection of Solás's legacy, "but would also provide a unique opportunity to revitalize interest in Cuban audiovisual heritage," he stated.

For the director of FICG, the comprehensive restoration of audiovisual heritage is a common challenge for cinema in the Third World; however, while Cuban cinema has been recognized as one of the most important movements in Latin America, its film archive deteriorates in silence.

Benvenuto emphasized the importance of cataloging and declaring as cultural heritage all preserved material, whether in film archives, files, or collections, whether public or private, inside or outside the country.

He also emphasized the need to acknowledge the historical and cultural value of unclassified works that still remain in the archives, as their preservation is essential to keeping the collective memory of the nation alive.

He urged the establishment of a unified cataloging system for the materials that exist in the country and, as a pioneering step, to begin this process with the archives of the Instituto Cubano de Arte e Industria Cinematográficos (ICAIC). Additionally, he proposed to unify information from different national archives and to track Cuban audiovisual materials preserved in countries with better preservation conditions.

Such an initiative, he argued, could become a model for the preservation of Cuban cinema, facilitating the collection of valuable information and providing opportunities to restore works by other creators as well.

According to Benvenuto, Artificial Intelligence opens new possibilities for restoration: it allows for the identification, classification, and recovery of audiovisual works, although digitizing in 4K or 6K remains expensive. Nonetheless, 2K digitizations already enable screenings in cinemas and digital platforms.

The use of this technology raises, however, ethical and technical debates about to what extent a work can be altered without changing its essence. Furthermore, time is pressing, not only for the tapes but also for the professionals who could provide context before their testimony is lost.

Implementing these actions, Benvenuto affirmed, "would be an effective way to take ownership of Humberto Solás's legacy to launch a cultural macroproject that counters the neglect in which his work finds itself". At the same time, it would be the first step to mitigate the risks threatening the rest of Cuba's audiovisual heritage, he concluded.

The last two films by Solás, Miel para Oshún (2002) and Barrio Cuba (2005), were made with a low budget, digital technology, and within the sobriety of what is called poor cinema, which "refers to a cinema of limited economy that is produced both in less developed or peripheral countries, as well as in economically and culturally dominant societies."

Under the principles of the Manifesto of Poor Cinema, proclaimed by Solás, the FICG was established, which he directed from its first edition in 2003 until his passing in 2008.

The 19th edition took place from the 15th to the 19th of this month in the coastal city of Holguín in the eastern province, featuring the presentation of over 500 audiovisual materials from about 30 countries, capturing the essence of its founding.

In 2017, the competition broadened its scope and accepted films of all budgets, aiming to further internationalize the event.

After a pause due to the covid-19 pandemic, the festival resumed its activities in 2022, though more modestly than in previous years, and amid the deepening economic crisis in Cuba that has led to a decline in the Cuban film industry.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Preservation of the Cinematic Heritage of Humberto Solás