Malecón, the debut film of Spanish director Carlos Larrazábal, has been selected by Cuba as its official entry for Best International Feature at the 99th Academy Awards, as exclusively revealed by the magazine Variety this past Thursday, September 25.
The announcement coincided with the celebration of the San Sebastián International Film Festival and was accompanied by another news: the Spanish platform Movistar Plus acquired the streaming distribution rights for the film in Spain.
The selection marks Cuba's return to the race for the international Oscar after approximately a decade of absence, as reported by Cinema Tropical.
The film, a co-production between Cuba, Spain, and the United States, follows Elvis, a man who returns to Havana after spending ten years in prison for killing his abusive stepfather while trying to protect his mother.
Returning to a city that has changed drastically during his absence, the protagonist reunites with his childhood friends and becomes entangled in Havana's underground economy, facing the difficult decision between staying or emigrating.
Filmed entirely in Havana with a handheld camera and natural light, the film was conceived by Larrazábal as a portrayal of the everyday struggles and resilience of Cubans, steering clear of political or nostalgic clichés.
The script was co-written by Larrazábal and the Cuban filmmaker Fabián Suárez, and developed through the Sundance Collab program. The cast is entirely Cuban: César Domínguez, Camila Rodhes, Omar Rolando, Yordanka Ariosa, and Luis Alberto García.
Among the producers is Jorge Perugorría, the renowned Cuban actor who starred in Strawberry and Chocolate, which adds a symbolic connection between the only Cuban nomination for an Oscar in this category—awarded specifically for that film in 1995—and the new nomination.
They also produce Inti Herrera, from the Cuban production company i4films, along with Jaime Otero and Flavio Florencio.
"We wanted to make a film with the ambition of exploring the world and the intimacy of a story told from within," Herrera stated. "Our Cuban cast and crew brought their own memories, humor, and everyday realities to the screen. Seeing the film resonate with audiences both in Havana and around the world has been particularly meaningful."
For his part, Larrazábal explained that "Malecón was born from a deep connection with Cuba and the need to tell a story about what it means to stay, to leave, and to imagine a different future."
The director, based in Los Angeles, studied cinematography at the ECAM in Madrid before continuing his education at the International School of Film and Television of San Antonio de los Baños, Cuba.
The film had its world premiere at the Miami Film Festival in April 2025, was the Closing Night Selection at the Havana Film Festival New York, and competed at the International Film Festival of Mar del Plata. Its premiere in Cuba took place on August 27 at the Yara cinema in Havana.
Cuba presented its first Oscar nomination in 1978 and has only achieved one nomination in its entire history: Fresa y Chocolate, by Tomás Gutiérrez Alea and Juan Carlos Tabío, nominated at the 67th edition of the awards.
Recent nominations included The World of Nelsito (Fernando Pérez), Searching for Casal (Jorge Luis Sánchez), A Translator (Rodrigo and Sebastián Barriuso) and Sergio & Sergei (Ernesto Daranas), after which Cuba remained without an official candidate for approximately a decade.
The screening of Malecón is scheduled for the Sevilla Film Festival next November, which will further extend the international journey of the film before the Academy announces its nominees.
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