Green Green

The first gay-themed film produced in Cuba by the Institute of Cinema since Strawberry & Chocolate in 1993. The theme, however, is the same as in Guttiérerez and Tabìo's film: homophobia, machismo and fear. The fatal attraction between Alfredo, a doctor in the merchant navy, and handsome Carlos starts in a rundown Havana bar and ends at the sailor's house. But Alfredo's flirting and seducing of Carlos immediately turns into something complicated, ambiguous, dangerous. In a claustrophobic, tense atmosphere, their bodies are powerfully attracted, and the words, though violent, intensify the level of sensuality. Does each man kill the thing he loves? Evoking dreamlike atmospheres and characters, 80-year-old veteran director Enrique Pineda Barnet openly references Fassbinder's Querelle and Jean Genet. Quite controversial in its approach, the films demonstrates the milder attitude of Raul Castro's regime towards Cuba's LGBT Community.

Directed by Enrique Pineda Barnet, Green Green leans on a strong ensemble — Héctor Noas, Carlos Miguel Caballero, Farah María — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 2012.