LISANKA

Cuba, 2009, 113 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Daniel Diaz Torres.

Lisanka is a comic story of Cuba in 1962. Starting with images of cut-outs and maps of Cuba, the film takes us into the pre-revolution period, the focus on three young friends, the coming of the revolution and the transformation of lives in Cuba.

The film is set in 1962, considered the year of planification. Communism has taken over. There are echoes of Russian films of the 1930s with the praise of industry and agricultural life (people smiling happily on tractors). (In fact Mossfilm collaborated in this production.) Lisanka is the central character, she drives a tractor and the tractor, pink, is called after her.

The film pokes fun at the Soviets and their taking over of Cuba. However, the inhabitants of the small country town are critical as well as collaborative. The parish priest, a conservative Spaniard, is determined that the bell should not be closed down, that the statue of Mary should be restored. He is presented as something of a figure of fun.

The romance develops with Lisanka’s two friends courting her, one from a wealthy family, the other a Che lookalike in the army. The film details other people in the town, somebody who is mentally retarded but friendly, the police chief, other officials. Gradually, with the prohibited area for the military, the town is transformed and slogans, images are all imported to reinforce the communist state of Cuba.

The rivalry between the two men is exacerbated when one of the Soviet soldiers is enamoured of Lisanka as well. Using wrong grammar, he indicates to her father that she is pregnant when she is not. He is taken away in handcuffs.

At the time of the missiles crisis, planes fly over, there is an explosion and a local woman is killed. The wealthy family is rounded up and is to be transported to the United States. Cuba then is ready for its long period of rule by the Soviet Union and Fidel Castro. The retrospect from the 21st century is some kind of affection for those times, telling a broad story comically, but all the time focusing on the spirit of the Cubans themselves, no matter who was in charge.