One of the islands of the Republic of Cuba is Isla de Pinos, currently known as Isla de la Juventud (“Island of Youth”). At the time that Cuban director Sara Gómez shot this film, the island was part of the La Habana Province; it was a place where young people from Havana worked temporarily or permanently on collective farms. Gómez visits the residents with her 16mm camera and talks to them about their dreams and ideas.
Among them 17-year-old Maria, who works on the land in the morning, but also has the opportunity to train to become a hairdresser. A cowboy tries to bring a touch of culture to the island with a theater performance in the evening, an ex-priest now works with cows and talks about his doubts and difficulties. There are also young people in a re-education program.
This black-and-white film provides a unique picture of the proud islanders, who until then had rarely been asked for their opinions. Occasionally, Gómez herself appears to conduct the interviews, which seems to put her subjects at ease. On the Other Island offers a unique insight into the lives, dreams and thoughts of ordinary Cubans.
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