Film Students Plan Voyage to Havana

As most Harvard students count down the days to winter break in the Cambridge cold, a lucky eight will likely have the chance next month to bond with world-class film producers, actors and directors in the sunny Caribbean.

Students in Latin American Studies 71, “Latin American Film,” are hoping to cut classes for 10 days and fly to Havana, to attend the 24th International Festival of New Latin American Cinema.

Despite the red tape involved in traveling to Cuba, which still has no formal diplomatic ties with the U.S., students in the class and its professor are optimistic about their chances of making the trip.

“Officially we are going, but there are a lot of details and logistics involved, so our plan to go is preliminary for now,” said Cowles Associate Professor of Romance Languages and Literatures Jose A. Mazzotti, who teaches the course.

Students jumped at the opportunity to attend “arguably the most important film festival in Latin America,” according to teaching fellow Alexandra L. Vega-Merino.

“It’s a vibrant site where screenings, conferences and discussions about the relationship between arts and politics, economy [and] education...take place,” Vega-Merino said in an e-mail.

When the class found out it could go on the trip two weeks ago, a short application process followed to select five students, as there was only limited funding from the Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies. The list expanded to eight after the class secured more funding. Students will still have to pay for their own airfare.

But the route to Cuba is not straightforward. Only limited flights are available for the journey from the U.S. to the communist country. The class has not yet determined whether it will board a charter plane in Miami or fly to Cuba from Canada.

Students face minimal risks, according to Mazzotti.

“Cuba is one of the safest countries for students in the world,” Mazzotti said.

Students signed up for the trip said they are excited about the opportunity.

“This is a rare screening opportunity, since a lot of those Latin American films won’t make it to the States,” said Theresa A. Botello ’03, a student in the class. “I’m just really excited, and I think it’ll be incredibly worthwhile to go down there.”

Charlene Music ’04, who once represented Cuba’s anti-embargo stance as a participant in Harvard Model United Nations, said she is also interested to see what conditions are like in the country.

Music, a Visual and Environment Studies concentrator, said she is also looking forward to the chance to make connections at the festival.

“I want to get to know the industry and talk to some of the most important people in Latin American film,” Music said. “I do want to go back there at some point.”

This semester is the first time “Latin American Film” has been offered. Three Latin American directors have already spoken to the class, including Augusto Tamayo, who was Peru’s selection to be nominated for the Academy Award in the Foreign Film category.