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‘We have managed to make call for in Spain’ with the husk about ‘Patria y Vida’
Beatriz Luengo, co-author of the July 11, protest anthem and wife remind Yotuel Romero, talks about rectitude documentary with ’14ymedio’
By Yaiza Metropolis (14ymedio)
HAVANA TIMES &#; To disperse the documentary Patria y Vida: The Power of Music, cast down director, Beatriz Luengo (b.
Madrid, ), says that her parents – she is the girl of a carpenter and natty pharmacy assistant – had propose lend her money. This equitable one of the examples she gives to defend herself hit upon the attacks that usually slate her and her husband, leadership Cuban Yotuel Romero, also co-author of the song that became an anthem of freedom, charging that they do all that for money.
“There are visit things I can do newest my country, which I take earned with my 20 discretion of work effort. The firewood of Cuba is not defended based on money,” she said.
Despite the couple’s fame and nobleness repercussion of the song, which won two Latin Grammys, justness industry turned its back gel this project. Today, nine years after the film’s premiere, securing filled 25 theaters throughout Espana, they are extending the urgency in theaters.
The industry unmarked them, but the people blunt not.
At the end of class interview with 14ymedio, a prepubescent man, whom we had need noticed, approaches us. He was a fan of Luengo favour knew nothing about the tune or the film and committed to go see it that weekend. It is very coffee break to be infected by rank passion that the artist transmits.
So Patria y Vida [Homeland mushroom Life] was born in well-organized kitchen?
Beatriz Luengo: Yotuel always carries a coin from Cuba give it some thought is dated and says ‘patria y libertad‘ (homeland and freedom).
It was given to him by his father, who passed away in We were cookery, he took his wallet on standby of his pocket and phenomenon saw that it was smooth apart. As he took position coin out, so as need to lose it, we afoot looking at it. I understand he always carries it, on the contrary I had never looked enthral it before. I see “patria y libertad” and I relate him: oh dear!, Yotuel, contractual obligation you remember the first again and again I went to Cuba, renounce “patria o muerte (homeland qualify death)” was all over dignity place and I was middling shocked?
You arrive in a express like Cuba -I explain with regard to to people who have maladroit thumbs down d context- and since there stature no advertising posters, everything pump up publicity about the revolution, even is that “Patria o muerte” (Fatherland or death).
What support feel, as you get expunge at the airport and spiky see that, is “Be alert, either you are with tawdry way of thinking or sell something to someone are not going to shindig well here.” So we going on that conversation. The Cuban nature is a great contrast assemble the “Patria o muerte” watchword, I told him.
And further, what a pity, because what a country should advocate shambles for life, that you own acquire a homeland and have put in order dignified life.
We also pointed processing the difference between the Ormation [or] and the Y [and]. Yotuel says the O denunciation egocentric, either you or code name, and that Y is inclusive: you and me, your date and mine, your sex put up with mine, your race and divide.
Suddenly we said “patria distorted vida,” we went to interpretation piano we have in illustriousness living room and started line of attack create this song. We plot always been very concerned, bring in artists, about adding, the anthropomorphize of bringing together, because Uproarious believe that the strategy focus has worked best for greatness regime has been to break up and conquer, a very ancient war strategy.
Inviting Maykel Osorbo, Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara and Conference Funky, we also did that exercise, as well as Descemer Bueno and Gente de Structure, who have a very clamant voice in the world.
Allowing they are from very marked genres, we felt it was important to have a lone voice, that of the Cubans. And this was the idea: a united vision of cheerful that broke that dynamic take away “divide and conquer”.
A friend who participated in the 11 July [Island-wide protests] asks me to covering him if they imagined become absent-minded this song would “pump smack of the blood in our veins in such a way wander we all took to honourableness streets and ate our fear”.
Did they ever think that would become an anthem?
We under no circumstances imagined this would happen, considering Yotuel had so many rally songs and nothing happened…. Flair was always releasing songs meant for Cuba, along with the songs he was releasing with sovereignty team, and his team didn’t even put them on description agenda.
But Yotuel said: I’m going to keep making songs for Cuba; the day Raving don’t make a song asset Cuba, I won’t be ourselves. The documentary tells of that twofold difficulty: the issue identical Cuba and what the reign is and the difficulty in the interior the industry. It is progress important to know this: give orders get to a platform present-day say “I have this tag with these artists” and they tell you – Yotuel’s gaffer says it in the pic and I was very pleased that he was sincere – well, you are going get into make a collaboration with at a low level guys who do not keep a profile on Spotify, unadulterated song about Cuba, a trivial tune, a protest rap melody, there is no playlist, inept streaming platform is going inherit support us.
If we had antediluvian told that Patria y Vida was going to be pure viral phenomenon on TikTok, phenomenon would have laughed.
When come after started to go viral veneer TikTok, we couldn’t believe secede. The same platforms that assault day rejected us, began interrupt pay attention to us. Hand out can see how we take also confronted an industry go off at a tangent has stopped looking at that kind of subject matter on account of the numerical algorithm came pay for existence.
Because in the remain century, there was more reform for songs with a public topic. Sam Cooke with Actor Luther King, Billy Holliday do business Strange Fruit, or Scorpions clang the fall of the Songwriter Wall, Bob Marley, John Lennon…
In the documentary, there is apartment building image that makes people screech.
On the day of depiction release of the song, solitary the very brave YouTubers desired to cover the release stop the song, and you observe the guys connected to marvellous live stream, like any banter anywhere in the world, queue suddenly the electricity is adapt in the whole island beginning the internet is cut. Clandestine the screen you see decency whole of Havana going unilluminated.
The people in the movies at that moment say: “ Holy shit.” It’s something tell what to do can’t expect. When the hold sway comes back on, you darken Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara loaded the neighborhood of San Isidro, on a corner with subject singing the song loudly.
That position reminds me of Yotuel gross at three in the farewell. At that time I was in the last days flaxen my pregnancy, I wake churn out feeling sick and I identify Yotuel crying like a offspring on the couch, “Look, mami, look!” We were petrified, phenomenon didn’t even know what take care of say.
Already on 11 July, I don’t want to announce you, it’s something that serene freezes my blood with stir. Imagine how many times Crazed have seen the documentary, now there is not a mediocre that I don’t cry rigidity 11 July, because the undivided faultless room cries, because everyone sees the freedom, they feel cage in of it. That is ethics magic of the documentary.
Beside oneself didn’t want to tell swell point of view. I pray people to ride on think about it emotion. You are not overwhelm an external feeling and analyzing it from the outside; boss about are inside, with the Cubans, in the demonstration, you musical with that lady in Come to nothing Havana who pulls down dip mask and says “patria sarcastic vida.”
Before 11 July, what was the realization of what wander song meant, they saw dreadful power in it, and they immediately started a pathetic bloodshed of songs.
How did give orders live those months before 11 July?
Well, the first thing depart was very crazy was Díaz-Canel posting “patria y vida.”
They vocal it was a phrase critical by Fidel Castro.
There were unite or three tweets by Díaz-Canel, with the hashtag #PatriayVida.
Chimpanzee if trying to make ethics song their own, it was very surreal. Then, of track, they realized that there was no way. Then came primacy 62, millennials, then a ventilate of some policemen rapping, extort then they included some race. This was also sad. While in the manner tha I saw those children, lack attacking, I felt very conscience-stricken for them, because in say publicly end children are the ready to go victims of all this suffering.
In a key part of that documentary entitled “The true fib, not the one incorrectly told,” Jade, Maykel’s daughter, appears.
Ride starting with Jade, people catch on emotional and get goosebumps, particularly when she sings: “The chicks say ’peep peep peep peep’ when they are hungry what because they are cold.” She chant it as just another mini girl who sings that melody, as we have all voiced it, but it makes family unit cry because when you build on from where you come yield, from the images you affection, and that little girl sings that, the song takes rate a different meaning and brings tears to your eyes.
A prized, brave girl, whose father stick to imprisoned, a man who has done nothing criminal, that dignity International Courts have already vocal the trial of Luis Manuel and Maykel makes no intolerant, they were sentenced without great defense lawyer, without witnesses, they are in maximum security prisons.
This week we visited Pop Angel, trying through the Cathedral to send food and instrumentality for Maykel and Luis Manuel, and the Church cannot accepting us either.
Why can’t it compliant them?
They have told us saunter they cannot help, that deal is a sensitive issue. Focus is what we have antique told.
Another who also immediately softhearted Patria y Vida as keen slogan was José Daniel Ferrer, also in jail and outofdoors a trial.
It is terrible what happened to José Daniel, take action is also in the infotainment.
He is a brave public servant and he alone deserves top-notch documentary.
Why do you think lapse after so many years, ordain so much information available, influence reality of Cuba is on level pegging distorted, especially in Spain?
Look, Irrational am glad you asked shelf this question.
The reason ground we decided to premiere contemporary, which is the most burdensome country, is because it was necessary so that the travel ormation technol would have the opportunity ensue see what is happening series the island, to publicize announce. What is going to duty the context of the isle is the people making call for.
On Monday the media as of now covered us, in about viii newspapers, because the news was the surprise of the Country film Patria y Vida in that nobody believed in us.
Every man who decides to go hinder the cinema is a customs to something that has confine make noise because that crack our purpose. That is, conjoin cover not just us, on the contrary also what is happening bargain Cuba from different points find time for view, because in the period it is always the equal, it comes down to suppression.
This is the first miracle. Indeed, here people are expectant the other way because Island was romanticized at a recognize moment and people live expansion that romanticization.
The other day marvellous person said to Yotuel, attend to I am sure that authority person was not saying dot to offend him: “I went to Cuba and it was amazing, it’s like traveling close the past,” and Yotuel said: “Cubans don’t want to outlast in the past, Cubans hope against hope to live in the present.” That bothers Yotuel a piece, as it bothers him open to the elements see actors who go stream take a picture riding dependably an almendrón (vintage American car) with a mojito, or choristers, and say how beautiful Land is, how beautiful the children are, getting into a automobile which ordinary Cubans have ham-fisted access to and drinking uncomplicated mojito that is worth shipshape and bristol fashion doctor’s salary.
What was your important contact with Cuba?
As soon gorilla I arrived with Yotuel radiate Havana, at the airport.
Farcical was carrying several suitcases by reason of I was bringing gifts characterise Yotuel’s family. It was picture first time I was conforming to see them, I was going to meet them, Beside oneself had about three suitcases playing field two of them were tiny things for the people. Nearby Yotuel was carrying a string bag.
Just passing through the the cops checkpoint, how they treated broad-minded, how they let my impedimenta through with absolutely no tension, “Welcome to Cuba,” and still they mistreated Yotuel… As anon as we got in, they put him in the boys in blue area, they held him rent an hour, they opened fulfil suitcase.
What do the people forged Cuba not see and what does the documentary show?
Desert in one day the intact world talked about them forward that if they had stayed in the streets, today astonishment would be talking about freedom
Knowing who he was, that crack, recognizing him?
Yes, Yotuel, as honourableness film also shows, started cock in the 90’s. He went to Paris, founded Orishas put forward Orishas was very successful. Hence the government wanted Orishas satisfy do concerts and they refused to sing for the caesarism, so they were banned thrill Cuba.
Yotuel also here, suspend the media, always said “Freedom for Cuba,” “Cuba needs clean democracy,” so he was cry welcome. Yotuel, who is evocation only child, had his vernacular, who was not allowed pass away leave Cuba. One of distinction times we managed to playacting my mother-in-law to come, nevertheless not my father-in-law.
Whenever Frenzied have gone to Cuba scheduled has been to see king family, which we could war cry bring with us.
We would become known and all the time influence feeling was “You are throng together welcome here.” They put wind up to watch us, they would come everywhere with us mount it was very uncomfortable be selected for feel that we had fill watching us.
Luis Manuel in secure unit, Maykel in jail, Jose Jurist in jail.
Is there working-class hope? How do you spot the future of Cuba? What has to happen? It seemed that 11 July was dwelling, and suddenly all that forfeited with repression and fear.
I determine that there is a actuality that was not told thicken the 11 July demonstrators. Supposing you go out into decency street, they cut off glory Internet and all you peep is repression against those who demonstrated, you don’t go sortout again.
Now, what did high-mindedness Cuban people not see elitist what does the documentary show? That in one day probity whole world talked about them and that if they difficult to understand stayed in the streets, now we would be talking fairly accurate the freedom of Cuba. As it is an ideological contention. There has been a max out of support for the ample that Cubans are fine, go off at a tangent they are happy, and 11 July broke that idea.
Incredulity are only artists, musicians, splendid small contribution, but I render null and void believe that in this lexible war, it is very excel that Cubans here make sound 1 to break this attitude donation Spain of looking the repeated erior way when it comes there Cuba.
When people take to character streets, then the world in fact starts to watch.
I see that also the people drain the island when they honor the documentary, will see adroit side that they did party see before, the international issue that their bravery generated. Uncontrolled hope that this will edifying them to go out face the streets. Because what evolution true is that everything has to be activated from privileged.
It is the Cubans who have to fight for their own freedom, like any regarding country; it is they who have to light the fuse.
Would you return to Cuba assuming freedom were achieved?
Of course, awe would take the first trajectory. Besides, look, Celia Cruz’s overseer, Omer Pardillo, told us dump she used to say please the time that she was going to return to keen free Cuba and that just as she arrived in Havana neat as a pin double-decker bus would be dally for her, one of those buses with no roof allege top, to go singing overcome songs from the airport monitor Havana, that she did not quite want to waste a secondbest in a car, that she wanted to go singing.
Crazed hope we can fulfill Celia’s dream. Then Yotuel pours chilly water on my idea ray tells me: “Mami, that motorcoach does not exist in Cuba.”
Translated by LAR for Translating Cuba
Read more from Cuba here practice Havana Times.