Radio Cadena Agramonte emisiora de Camagüey
Havana, March 28th. - The 2025 National Film Award was granted today to prominent Cuban actress Mirta Ibarra. The award will be presented to her this Friday at the Charlie Chaplin cinema during the closing ceremony of the International Meeting of Restored Films.
The jury, composed of prestigious figures from the country's seventh art, awarded this prestigious prize to Ibarra in recognition of her ability to portray characters with depth and sensitivity, addressing essential social and cultural themes.
By a majority vote, the jury selected her for her legacy, continuity, integrity, and her long career in Cuban cinema, not only as an actress in iconic films from 1960 to the present, but also for her multiple roles in national cinema and culture over more than 50 years.
This also highlights the impact of her work on Cuban society and her work preserving the legacy of filmmaker Tomás Gutiérrez Alea (Titón), all of which make her one of the most prominent and recognized personalities, not only in the country but also internationally as a 2025 National Film Award winner.
In an interview broadcast on Cuban television, the award-winning actress confessed to feeling moved because this award is also due to Cuban viewers for the reception they give to her films, and because when she walks down the streets they tell her, "We admire you," "We love you," "Keep going," and that fills her with pride, and she has to keep going," she said.
Ibarra's extensive filmography includes films such as Strawberry and Chocolate, Hasta cierto punto, Se permuta and Guantanamera, among others.
Born in San José de las Lajas on February 28, 1946, she is a renowned Cuban theater, television, and film actress who has also worked as a screenwriter, playwright, and documentary filmmaker.
Among the major awards she has received for her extensive artistic career are the ACTUAR Lifetime Achievement Award, 2019; the Lucía de Honor Award, 2018; and the National Culture Distinction of 1996, among other equally important recognitions.
She is the widow of Cuban filmmaker Tomás Gutiérrez Alea (Titón, 1928-1996). She has served on the jury at several international film festivals and toured Spain in 2000 and 2001 with the play Obsesión habanera, of which she is the author and star.
In 2008, she made her directorial debut with the documentary Titón: de La Habana a Guantanamera, a posthumous tribute to her lost partner in life.
The actress, a graduate of Latin American Literature from the University of Havana, is also the author of the book "Volver sobre mis pasos" (Return on My Steps), a compilation of letters written by Titón. (PL) (Photo: Taken from the Internet)
