Miel para Oshún

I missed this film when it was shown as part of a Latin American Film cycle about a couple of years ago. Thanks to the Sundance network, I was able to catch up with it recently. Having seen a couple of Humberto Solas' films, I was curious about this one. It is not one of the director's best efforts but it gives the viewer an idea of what is going on in Cuba, a land so near, but yet so far away!

The returning Roberto goes back to Havana to find a mother he hasn't seen in 32 years. As a young boy, he was taken by his father to the country of the enemy, never to return until now. It is curious how Roberto's mind has not changed in the years he spends away from Cuba. He falls right in step with a culture that must be foreign to him now, yet he is so much aware in his own heart where his loyalties are. In order to find his mother, Roberto goes to the extreme end of the island, literally.

The film presents a hard panorama for the average person that lives in the island. Even though there is a semblance of criticism, it is always presented in a way that serves the regime propaganda machinery. All what happens there is due to the evil American imperialism, but never because of the government failures. How can anyone justify a losing cause that has lasted this long? It is only for more evolved political minds to debate that issue.

What really is surprising is how everything has a price in US dollars. The lesson seems to be that only those that have access to them will survive in the system. It is pitiful that Marta, Pilar's neighbor is forced into prostitution. The only explanation is she wants to leave the country! The way Antonio swindles Roberto by charging inflated prices for his services is also condoned since the Cuban has the upper hand over the naive visitor.

The travelogue part of the film is sometimes pointless. The joke about the Cuban transportation system goes on too long. The only good thing about this part of the movie is that we get to see the interior of the island which not too many get to see.

Jorge Perigurria has done better on other films. Isabel Santos, an actress that has appeared in other Cuban films is much better. At least she is more convincing as the one who, for circumstances beyond her will gets to stay in that country and has to eke out a life out of whatever she can get her hands into. She is the survivor!

Let's hope the director finds a better idea for his next film.

A Cuban American returns to Cuba in search for his long-lost mother. But his bags, alas, do not contain a hearing aid for director Humberto Solas, who's tone deaf for dialogue. Nor a Dictionary of American Slang, so his protagonist can use the right cuss words in English. Otherwise, in Spanish, he sounds as corny as a blurb on a romance novel's cover.

In exchange for a few politically incorrect venial sins, Mr. Solas delivers the neo-official party line, where only Cubans on the island know who they really are (despite "everything"), while Miami Cubans have to marry an American to get any respect. Are you sure? In Miami?!

Before Miel para Oshun, Mr. Solas handn't made a movie in a decade. Who said it was better to let sleeping dogs lie? Well, lie he did.

In 2004,I met Senor Humberto Solas at a film festival in India. After having discussed Latin American cinema at length with him,I got the impression that he is one of the legendary figures not only of Cuban cinema but also of World cinema. He spoke in particular about the enormous problems faced by certain filmmakers from Latin America. So it is in this context that people must watch this excellent film "Miel para Oshun". It is quite true that this film has not been shot using latest expensive gadgets. However there is no valid reason to believe that this could affect anyone's viewing pleasure. This film might be of interest to all regardless of one's language. What I found the most appealing is the manner in which Cuba has been portrayed in a positive light. Although at times, Miel para Oshun might appear maudlin but nevertheless the end result is bound to remain in viewers'mind for a long time to come. Leading player Jorge Perugorria is a joy to watch.

I wasn't sure what to expect and for the first 35 minutes or so I thought the film was going to be pure melodrama. But once the film got going I realized that this film is a look at one of the many cruel realities that both Cuban's and Cuban-American's face everyday, the loss of family and self. I thought the picture painted of Cuba and it's government was not overly critical. I was amazed, having been to Cuba myself and seeing the government control that this film was allowed to be shot, in that there were certain subtle criticisms of the government. Overall I thought the film was very well made and acted. If anything it certainly shows Cuba from Havana to the countryside. I do feel however that the almost romance between the lead character and his cousin was unnecessary and did nothing to improve the movie.

An exiled Cuban goes back to his motherland, 32 years after he was taken to the USA by his father. We witness a return to the roots, as in Alejo Carpentier's classic story. We also witness a road movie, a subtle love story and a mural of Cuban life, in an overall nice little film.

Only the ideological premise on which the film is built is fake. Social criticism of the situation in Cuba is minimum (yet, it is barely at the acceptance level of the bureaucrats who rule the island). If a bike is stolen, it is by a thief who has been in jail; if buildings are half-destroyed, they are being repaired; if a the neighbor is a "jinetera", it's because she wants to leave the country; if the characters are sent wrongly to jail, everything settles finely a few hours later. No hunger (even smiling children with ice creams), no police State who represses santeros, all the houses nicely decorated. We only get one blackout and several transportation problems.

And the key of the film -Roberto's unhappiness because he is at the US where he doesn't belong, in contrast with the "happy" islanders- is impossible to sustain. In the most important scene, in the middle of a town plaza, surrounded by locals, Roberto claims he's unhappy because he's a nowhere man. If that was to happen in the real Cuba, tens of people would tell him: "You can worry about your existential problems because you have three meals a day!", to say the least.

We don't know what happened to Roberto. But I can bet that, if this tormented character decided to stay in Cuba, with his mother, his cousin and his regained roots, he'd regret it loudly.

The direction is feeble at times (is this the same Solás of "Lucía"?), the audio is terrible, but the music is super, some scenes are very good (the Santera, the arrival of the mother) and some of the acting is great (I particularly enjoyed Limonta's portrait of a typical Cuban cab driver)