De cierta manera

The plot: It's a middle class woman's and a working class man's romantic relationship. You cannot really spoil it, as not much happens; it's about what they experience as their worlds collide.

The themes: We are in the context of Cuba's communist revolution, and while social "progress" is on its way, traditions (religion, gender roles... etc.) and poverty hinder it.

The form: A mix of documentary and fiction. The film's director made documentaries, this was her first feature. It was shot in 1974, but she passed away before post-production and the release was only in 1977. Luckily, she had assistants such as Alea, the most significant Cuban filmmaker up until now. So the director had made documentaries before and while this film is partly fiction, she kept many documentary-like elements, such as narration, interviews, real people who are not acting with their real stories. Dynamic editing gives high energy to the film, and the Soviet-style montage-technique can also be discovered in some instances, such as in case of the slums being demolished.

Personal note: The themes are delivered, it's fun to watch. Nothing extraordinary, but I cannot complain.