Radio Cadena Agramonte emisiora de Camagüey
Havana, Dec. 5 - The Charles Chaplin Hall in this capital will host the premiere today of the film Cherri, by Cuban filmmaker Fabián Suárez, on the second day of the 46th Havana New Latin American Film Festival.
The 82-minute drama, a co-production between Cuba, Guatemala, and Mexico, addresses body diversity through the story of an obese gay dancer who loves classical ballet. His obsession with a young security guard seeks to quell his thirst for love.
The title of the film responds to a game between the word chéri in French, which means dear, and cherry in English, associated with the cherry and the physique of the main character.
Fabián Suárez, screenwriter and director of the feature film, conceived the story after meeting dancer and choreographer Juan Miguel Mas, director of the Danza Voluminosa dance company, whose performances showcase the physical and creative abilities of overweight people through dance.
Juan has appeared in several of the filmmaker's productions, and Suárez selected him as the protagonist of the script that he served as inspiration for.
The film's large cast includes Noslen Sánchez, the late Guatemalan actor Roberto Díaz, and the Danza Voluminosa dance company.
In his filmography, Suárez brings together the short films Kendo Monotagari (2012) Special Mention of the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, Fiodor in the Fjord (2014), and the feature film Horses (2015), the latter deserving of the Best Fiction Award of the XV Showcase of young filmmakers of Cuba.
Cherri talks about failed loves, about second chances. "For me, it was very important to talk about bodies and how society values ??them. My purpose is to provoke discussion about issues that Cuban society still needs to address," the screenwriter and director explained in an interview with Prensa Latina.
Regarding the production, Suárez noted that they tried to create magical moments that contrast with the harshness of other passages, so together with the director of photography Javier Labrador they sought a more colorful image.
The sound design is by Velia Díaz, and the original music was composed by Héctor Téllez Jr., with the participation of double bassist Gastón Joya.
Cherri defends the right to love through a filmic discourse that challenges pigeonholing, prejudices, and promotes respect for diverse body types. (Text and photo: PL)
