Havana, April 30 (Prensa Latina) Havana’s Acapulco cinema hosted a special day of screenings and discussions today to mark the fifth anniversary of Belly of the Beast, a U.S. media outlet based in Cuba.
Belly of the Beast specializes in the production of documentaries and videos about the impact of US sanctions, Cubacine Icaic highlighted on its Facebook profile, while praising the work of the media with the phrase: “Cinema that denounces, cinema that humanizes: Belly of the Beast celebrates five years in Cuba!”
With the support of institutions such as the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the International Press Center (CPI), and with the presence of international delegations that will participate in tomorrow’s May Day celebrations, two documentaries were screened.
According to Cubacine, these films embody the spirit of committed journalism, and the opening remarks at the Acapulco celebration were given by Reed Lindsay, director of Belly of the Beast and producer of both documentaries.
From Gaza to Cuba, directed by Frank Rojazz, tells the story of Murid Abukhater, a young Palestinian born and raised amid the ravages of war in Gaza, who is currently training as a doctor on the island with the hope of one day returning to serve his people. His story is a testament to resilience, solidarity, and the future.
The premiere of El sueño de Teresita, by Daniel Montero Pupo, took place. It stars Dr. Teresita Rodríguez and the Cneuro team, creators of the drug NeuroEpo (brand name: NeuralCim).
This is a Cuban innovation in the treatment of Alzheimer’s with promising clinical results, with an 84 percent effectiveness rate in clinical trials.
The documentary exposes how the embargo hinders global access to this breakthrough, while also revealing a moving personal story: that of the first woman to try the drug, motivated by her daughter’s love for her mother.
Both screenings opened the way for direct exchange with their protagonists and filmmakers, in a meeting where cinema not only documents but also calls for debate, empathy, and transformation.
From the Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry (ICAIC), we celebrate the power of cinema to amplify voices, challenge silences, and remind us that every well-told story can change the way the world looks, concluded the institutional post on social media.
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