Latin America & Spain Film Festival opens in Palmerston North with a ‘supercharged’ Cuban night

At the opening of the Latin America & Spain Film Festival in Palmerston North are (from left) Palmy arts ambassador Shaun Kay, mayoress Michelle Smith, Mayor Grant Smith, Cuban ambassador Edgardo Valdes Lopez and first secretary Dalila Vazquez Gross. Photo / Wayne Belk

It’s not every day one gets to eat popcorn at the Globe Theatre.

Then again, it’s not every day the Cuban ambassador is in town and you are given an insight into life in Havana during the pandemic.

The 21st Latin America & Spain Film Festival opened in Palmerston North last Thursday with a Cuban Film Night attended by nearly 150 people.

The other festival films are from Spain, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Mexico and Argentina.

The festival is brought to Palmerston North by the Latin American and Spanish embassies in New Zealand and supported by Massey University.

The opening night film was Cuentos de un Dia Mas [Tales of One More Day]. It is actually six short films, independent from one another, that deal with love in the time of the pandemic. The film explores the feelings and realities of Cuban society since the spread of Covid-19 in the country.

Massey’s School of Humanities, Media and Creative Communication hosts the university’s Spanish programme. School head Professor Kerry Taylor said the film festival is part of Palmerston North’s regular calendar and is very much looked forward to.

The event is growing as big as Ben-Hur, though perhaps the right analogy is as big as Fidel, Taylor said, referring to former Cuban president Fidel Castro.

Taylor thanked Palmy Bid for supercharging the event.

“Things are better and bigger and more like Fidel by the moment.”

Some of the audience at the Cuban Film Night at the Globe Theatre. Photo / Wayne Belk

Palmerston North Mayor Grant Smith said he was “absolutely gobsmacked” by how many people were at the opening night.

The Cuban Film Night was organised by Palmy arts ambassador Shaun Kay and Palmy Bid.

The remaining films are being screened at Palmerston North Central Library and the programme is on the library’s website.

Entry to the films is free and they have English subtitles.

The festival ends on September 24.