Cuban Film Festival: Conducta
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Chala, a 12 year old, lives with his drug addict mother. In order to provide for the two of them, he raises carrier pigeons and trains fighting dogs with a man who may or may not be his biological father. School provides a stabilizing force in Chala's life, thanks to his close relationship with his spirited sixty-something teacher, Carmela (Alina Rodríguez). When the boy is sent off to live in a "re-education facility" and Carmela mounts a campaign to have him released, she becomes the target of a witch hunt spearheaded by a school board administrator who regards Carmela's permissive beliefs as incongruent with the new Cuba. But the idealistic, strong-willed woman remains defiant and manages to recruit allies from amongst her fellow teachers, leading to a conflict in which one boy's future reflects the systemic dynamics of contemporary Cuba. A look at how Cuba's admirable education system still faces challenges with at-risk children. Winner of Best Picture, Havana Film Festival.
English title: Behavior
Curated and presented by the Minnesota Cuba Committee.
Films are in Spanish with English subtitles and most are accompanied by a short feature. Discussions will take place following the films.