EL MANGUITO In 1956 history was made in the inaccessible woodlands of Sierra Maestra. Back then Fidel Castro and Che Guevera went into hiding there to get the Cuban revolution rolling. Tucked far away in the mountains, the village of El Manguito was once a big community with more than 100 houses, working infrastructure, electricity and a saw mill. But when the saw mill closed, most of the people moved to bigger localities. Due to the emigration wave not only El Manguito sank into oblivion, but also its inhabitants.

Twelve people live there, cut off from the outside world, without electricity supply and drivable roads. Idael, the head of the familiy, his wife Nelcis, his children, friends and brothers. The film accompanies the family in their everyday life. It takes the audience to an unknown world and shows how deeply rooted the socialist system still is in Cuba. A teacher comes to El Manguito five days a week to teach Idaels youngest son. Even in a remote place like this, education is provided for. But many other things seem to be neglected.

Documentary Film, Cuba / 19 min / Super 16 mm / 2017

Script: Simon Rittmeier, Laurentia Genske
Direction: Laurentia Genske
Cinematography: Simon Rittmeier
Black- White Photography: Laurentia Genske
Editing: Tama Tobias-Macht
Editing Assistant: Laurentia Genske
Sounddesign, Soundmix: Robert Keilbar
Sound Recording: Laurentia Genske
Foleys: Konstantin Faust
Colour Correction: Fabiana Cardala
Colorist: Mathias Lilie, Cine Postproduktion
German, English Subtitles: Nina Willhardt
Production Company: Academy of Media Arts Cologne

Theatrical Distribution: Internationale Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen
TV Emission WDR: 29.09.2017 at 00:00 p.m.
TV Emission 3sat: 08.05.2018 at 23:45 p.m. 

Festivals / Awards

2023 - Short Monday, Filmhaus, Cologne
2020 - FIFEQ, Ville de Québec, Canada
2020 - Cine Latino Tübingen
2019 - Eureka Festival Universitario de Cine
2019 - Santiago Indie Film Awards, WINNER Best Documentary Short
2018 - Todos Somos Otros Festival Mexico
2018 - Verzio International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival
2018 - San Sebastian International Film Festival
2018 - Mexico Shorts Internationales Kurzfilm-Festival Mexico
2018 - der neue heimat film, Breest
2018 - Fest - New Directors New Films Festival Espinho
2018 - International Student Film Festival Sehsüchte
2018 - Grenzland-Filmtage Selb
2018 - Onion City Experimental Film and Video Festival Chicago
2018 - International Shortfilmfestival Bunter Hund Munich
2018 - Filmfestival Max Ophüls Preis
2018 - Dresdner Schmalfilmtage
2018 - WINNER fbw, Seal of Approval "highly recommended"
2017 - Cineteca Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
2017 - Kurzfilmfestival Köln
2017 - Blicke Film Festival
2017 - Kino Latino Köln
2017 - Lange Nacht des Politischen Kurzfilms, WINNER Cinémayence
2017 - Filmplus, WINNER Honorary Mention, Editing Promotional Award
2017 - International Short Film Festival Oberhausen, WINNER 3sat-Promotional Prize