Kantesh Guttal

Through this beautiful and touching chronicle of over 40 years of life in Fidel's Cuba, what stood out to me the most is the vitality of the three elderly brothers and their smiling selves. It touched me even more because it occurred to me that I am still mourning my father's passing away a few months ago -- he was 83 -- and I saw a bit of my father in all those three brothers. Despite all the lack of food, jobs, opportunities and overall impoverishment in Cuba, the people's resilience and attitude towards life came through. There were times when even though Jon Alpert was only translating, it was as if he were putting words in the people's mouths, because they almost resisted complaining about the dismal conditions. I think there were many leading questions from Jon to the ordinary people which could have been avoided. But his humanity and his love for the Cuban people came through just fine as he met different families over and over again over the course of some 40 years. Kudos to him for documenting the trials and triumphs of the people of Cuba, such a fine country and it beautiful peoples!