2012 MUBI World Cup Voting, Match #16: Cuba (Memories of Underdevelopment) vs. Palestine (Paradise Now)
VOTING IS CLOSED
Final tally:
Cuba (Memories of Underdevelopment) – 15
Palestine (Paradise Now) – 6
The winner is:
CUBA!
Homeland or Death!!
Hasten to battle, men of Bayamo!
The motherland looks proudly to you;
Do not fear a glorious death,
Because to die for the fatherland is to live.
To live in chains is to die,
In dishonour and ignominy,
Hear the clarion’s call;
Hasten, brave ones, to battle!
¡Hasta la Victoria Siempre!
Damn, I’ve seen both but I didn’t see this thread. I guess it wouldn’t have mattered though as I would’ve voted for Memories.
^Well it might have mattered since the percentage of votes a film gets in each match has bearing on if it will make it to the finals.
Viva la Cuba!
I didn’t manage my time very well, and was tardy in voting.
Interesting though, that in the news over the last few days a new baseball manager for the Miami Marlins, Ozzie Guillen, mentioned to the press that he liked Fidel Castro. The press went wild—remember he was speaking in Miami, Florida. Major league baseball distanced themselves from him, friends and financial backers voiced their displeasure. Threats flew secretly and publicly. He rescinded his opinion to the press the next day, saying it was lost in translation, and humbly begged his detractors to accept his apology. Even so, the team owner suspended him for 5 games, I assume without pay. It’s 2012, Ozzie Guillen has had a long career as a professional player and was the first Latino baseball manager (born in Venezuela) to skipper a World Series win in 2005; yet for all his baseball prowess and experience (he’s also known as an unrepentant loudmouth), he is not allowed to voice his opinion in the United States about Cuba without dire repercussions. Over 50 years later, Memories of Underdevelopment is still pointed and powerful with its opinions, many of which are aimed at Cuba’s own bureaucratic government. Cuba allowed the film-makers the freedom of speech in 1968 which U.S. public opinion today still won’t allow their citizens. An interesting side topic of film history.
I’m also surprised that the Internationally financed and produced Paradise Now, crafted by a Palastinian-Israeli director, Hany Abu-Assad, was able to bypass most political criticisms on its way to garnering awards and profits. I don’t think it was able to be shown in Nablus, where some of it was shot, nor did it run long in Israel. But it did become a hit film. Perhaps the subject matter was so slick and watered down into a buddy film and romance that the political stalemate which is supposed to be at its core became viewed as a will-o-wisp, not really forceful enough to make people care one way or the other. Merely a product sold to give people something to watch while eating popcorn.
My first missed match, though at least I saw them both, and I’m glad I did.
they suspended ozzie guillen for that?? even after forcing him to make a public apology?? disgraceful.
it was just about the worst thing he could say from a public relations standpoint tho. what a character
castro’s friggin 85 yrs old and they’ve been trying to kill him for around 60. hell, i admire him too
funny that the commissioner traveled to havana and sat next to him during an exhibition game in 1999
insightful and interesting comments as always, brother
well…I don’t know how anyone could be uncaring about the final shot of Said sitting in that bus. I felt very upset about it. You know when I thought about it later… I initially fancied that I was connecting despite that buddy bumbling satire humour feel but maybe it was because of it, the contrast that actually worked (on me anyway), to make it more powerful than a more straight up & down sophisticated treatment might have.
Edwin N
Cuba (Memories of Underdevelopment) 1 – Palestine (Paradise Now)
As much as I’d like to support Palestine, the film that represents it and the message it succesfully delivered; ‘Memories of Underdevelopment’ is one of my all-time favorites and I can’t vote against it.