When Screen Cuba donated funds for the recently restored Clarín Mambí, an early cartoon by Cuba’s godfather of animation Juan Padrón, we could not imagine that the premiere of the restored film would be screened on a bed sheet hung up at an evacuation centre. Yet this is how the José Maceo Vocational School in Guantánamo brought laughter and enjoyment to local Cuban children evacuated due to the hurricane. It was “the best baptism of fire” for the film, said Alexis Triana, President of the Cuban Film Institute (ICAIC) on his facebook page on 28 October. 

As work to overcome the devastating effects of Hurricane Melissa in the east of the country continues, the children have not been forgotten. They love the antics of Elpidio Valdés, the popular anti-colonial hero featured in Clarín Mambí (which translates as ‘Mambi bugle’), and ICAIC has worked with local communities across the island to stage further screenings.

Screen Cuba continues to raise funds for film restoration to help protect Cuba’s cinematic heritage. You can support this work by donating to the special fund at https://bit.ly/ICAICdonate.

Image taken from facebook page of Alexis Triana