City in Red

In Santiago de Cuba, one of the revolution’s most bloody battlegrounds, there are daily newspaper reports of casualties under the codeword Bertillón 166. In the late 1950’s revolutionary Cuba this concept functioned as the peoples protection against censorship. Where the police’s attempts to subdue the rebellion led to intense battles and skirmishes, the city was painted red in blood. Over the course of 24 hours, we follow the rebels’ struggle against Fuglencio Batista’s brutal military dictatorship, in increasing bursts of escalating violence. The Cuban director Rebecca Chávez’s debut film is about guerrilla warfare in a city landscape, where soldiers and civilians walk side by side. The film is based on José Soler Puig’s popular novel Bertillón 166. No doubt owing to Chavez’ longtime career as a documentary filmmaker, City in Red is also documentary-like in its form, and explores the experiences of individuals living in a war zone. In this manner, the film manages to create a historical account of Cuba’s revolutionary past, while still retaining a current cinematic expression. red