By Andrew Paxman
Reuters Dec. 8
HAVANA, Cuba (Variety) - Forget the Bay of Pigs, this time the Americans have really invaded. A very strong U.S. presence distinguishes the 20th edition of the Intl. Festival of New Latin American Cinema, which runs in the Cuban capital through Friday.
With the festival at its midpoint, 160 Americans had registered -- up from around 100 last year -- including a Sundance Institute-led delegation of directors and documentary makers. In total, the foreign presence so far is more than 700, ranging from film students to veteran European director Constantin Costa Gavras.
Filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen, accompanied by Joel's wife, actress Frances McDormand, and Terry Gilliam have jetted in to talk up ``The Big Lebowski'' and ``Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas,'' respectively, two of eight indie U.S. pictures showing in a sidebar event.
Directors Randa Haines and Betty Kaplan are here for screenings of ``Dance with Me,'' which is in part set in Cuba, and Universal's Spanish-language ``Dona Barbara.'' And regular visitor Harry Belafonte is also in town.
Joel Coen, who has traveled to Cuba before, told assembled press that the festival provided a great opportunity to get to know Latin American cinema. Indeed, 50 Latino features are in competition, plus another 50 or so in supplementary sections.
Local buzz has replaced ``Madonna is coming!'' with ``Coppola is coming!,'' while on the competition front, local director Fernando Perez got a warm reception for his ``La Vida es Silbar.''
Perez enthused to Daily Variety about the presence of so many gringos, and said he felt most were sincere in their intentions -- rather than simply coming to Cuba because it's ``trendy.''
``It's energizing to be able to meet people like the Coens, Frances McDormand, Harry Belafonte. I think they come because of an organic need for exchange of ideas and enrichment,'' Perez added.
Celeb spotters are advised to head for La Guarida, a hidden away homestyle restaurant situated in the same colonial-era apartment used as the principal location for Oscar-nominated film ``Strawberry & Chocolate.'' Producers and starlets congregate there each night, and pictures of happy customers lining the walls include recent visitor Jack Nicholson and a host of Spanish and Italian directors.
Reuters/Variety
08:15 12-08-98
Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited