Agustin Blazquez

The Producer/Director of the COVERING CUBA series, Agustin Blazquez, candidly explains the motivation for making the series of 7 documentaries in English that uncovers what is too often not covered in the mainstream press in the US. In it he explains that, as an artist, his preference is not politics, but, having lived through Cuba’s revolution, he finds it his duty to present the Cuban American side of the story not usually available to Americans. [in English, Spanish subtitles]

Cuba: “The Pearl of the Antilles”

Musical documentary (with English subtitles) CUBA: THE PEARL OF THE ANTILLES is a nostalgic visual and musical memory dating from pre-Columbian times to January 1, 1959. There is no narration to distract from the visuals or the music, just a few subtitles indicating the year and the places throughout the six original Cuban provinces. This enchanting documentary features 26 glorious melodies by the great Cuban composers performed by Cuban artists.

Composers like Lecuona, Roig, Prats, Sanchez de Fuentes, Cervantes and other pillars of classic and popular Cuban music. Featuring melodies from the Cuban zarzuelas Cecilia Valdés, Amalia Batista.

Covering Cuba 2: “The Next Generation”

Documentary by Agustin Blazquez and Jaums Sutton. The riveting testimonies of the new generation of Cuban Americans born and educated in the U.S. Through their families, they are fully aware of the realities of life in Cuba. They are aware of the misinformation and deceptive ways of the U.S. media reports on their parent’s homeland. And they are taking the torch to fight for a free Cuba. After five years, the situation for Cuban Americans has not changed much.

Under the Clinton Administration and with all  the collaboration of the U.S. media, the situation has gotten worse, as the Elian Gonzalez affair demonstrates.

Covering Cuba 3: “Elian”

It’s the story of the ongoing tragedy of the Cuban people after Castro – families divided by the imposition of a foreign political belief & the resulting intolerance for individual freedom. 13 people risked their lives seeking freedom in the US. Only 3 survived. One of them was 5-year old Elian Gonzalez. It’s the story from the Cuban American point of view. Although most of the interviewees belong to the young generation of Cuban Americans born & educated in the US, they are aware of the realities of Cuba. They are also acquainted with US politics & the misinformation & deceptive ways the US media reports on Cuba. It’s a rebuttal to Clinton’s handling of the Elian case, & the unforgivable travesty of justice against a child & his relatives in Miami.

It’s the Cuban American’s answer to the Clinton administration’s & the US media’s maligning & misrepresenting the exile community’s position – how the US government violated the law & a news media that censored & manipulated information to fool the American people in order to foster public consent to give Castro an innocent boy on a silver platter.

The day Elian was sent to Cuba, was a dark day for the US. It was the last insult to the memory of Elisabet Broton, Elian’s mother, who died bringing her son to freedom.   It is dedicated to the memory of Elisabet Broton, Elian’s mother, who died bringing her son to freedom in America. A documentary by Agustin Blazquez and Jaums Sutton.

Covering Cuba 4: “The Rats Below”

AN EXPOSE OF CORPORATE CORRUPTION IN AMERICA! The mighty power of a corporation influences the U.S. government and brings tragedy to an innocent child and everyone else in the way-using the Gold Rule of power, money and greed.

This documentary is the behind-the-scenes lookat the shocking process and truly amazing players who came together to get Elian Gonzalez placed into the hands of Fidel Castro. This is the story and participants the U.S. media cooperated to keep hidden.

The SPECIAL EDITION of this DVD also features an 8-minute interview with Pedro Porro offering an insider’s view of DAN RATHER’s “60 Minutes” interview of Juan Miguel Gonzalez.

Covering Cuba 5: “Act of Repudiation”

“Act of Repudiation” as practiced by the Cuban government, is the official use of public intimidation and repression against individuals and their families because of their views, through the used of trained mobs and violence, akin to those employed by Nazi Germany and the Ku Klux Klan.

ARTS AND POLITICS ARE INSEPARABLE IN CUBA This is the story of the Act of Repudiation directed at internationally renowned concert guitarist Carlos Molina and his family. Molina and daughter Maritza, a child at the time of the assault, describe the acts of the government-incited mobs that attacked their home and the resulting trauma they still feel today.

The Act resulted from Molina’s request to emigrate, with his American-born wife, Marisa and his three daughters, to the U.S. Molina, lauded as founder of the Cuban School of Guitar, began his performing career in 1969, the same year he graduated from the School of Law at the University of Havana. Daughter Maritza, an artist, relates the trauma she suffered by the Act of Repudiation directed at her family, which to this day, impacts her life and her artwork.

COVERING CUBA 6: CURACAO

This is the sixth installment of Agustin Blazquez’s series COVERING CUBA. It is the story of how Castro’s regime sends workers abroad to work as “slaves” for $12 to $16 US dollars a month. In this case, 100 Cubans were sent to the Caribbean Dutch island of Curacao to work against their will at the docks where they live in slave-like barracks. In violation of the U.S. embargo, they were assigned to work repairing U.S. ships. This is their shocking story and how they managed to escape and reach the United States.

Featured: Alberto Rodríguez Licea, Fernando Alonso — two of the escapees and Arturo J. Riera, Efrén Córdova, Enrique Encinosa, Georgina Zayas, Luis González Infante, Joel Brito, José González Bridón and Juan F. Benemelis

Featured song: “Devuelveme el trigo” by Gustavo Rex

Music: Caryl Traten Fisher, Cristian González, Eugene Pottier, Frederick Chopin, Marcos Galvany, Marcos Garcia, Rafaél Monteagudo, Richard Stumpf, Rodolfo Guzmán, Marcos Galvany & Marcos García

producer/director Agustin Blazquez, assistant/interviewer Jaums Sutton & Ana Maria Lamar

Subtitles in English and Spanish / Subtitulada en inglés y español.

(Latest) COVERING CUBA 7: Che The Other Side of An Icon

Che Guevara the eternal revolutionary–the hero of everything that needs to be changed in the world? Is he a saint, a savior or a Christ? Who was Che? This documentary will explore the real Che Guevara.

All the Documentaries can be purchased here

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