This film is not propaganda! It is a dramatic illustration of the relentless abuse of power that has taken place in Cuba since Christopher Columbus laid his eyes upon this paradise and claimed it for the Spanish. Yes in "1942 when Columbus sailed the ocean blue"
"I am Cuba" clearly illustrates the abuse of power the Cuban people were subjected to under another USA puppet government (Batista) which even went so far as to allow their criminal element (the USA based Mafia) to operate in Havana.
Basic human rights were denied to men, women and children under an economic scheme whereby profits for American agricultural firms were placed as a priority. Little or no economic development was planned as though everyone thought the Cuban people would just continue to work until they died forever!
Barak Obama had a chance to help Cuba out of the poverty trap after winning his Nobel Prize. Unfortunately he waited until the third year of his second term before he initiated the process.
Poverty, starvation and most other items on "Maslow's hierarchical order of needs" remain unfulfilled for most of the Cuban population which continues to languish under yet another ignorant regime.
The USA drove the Cuban people into the arms of socialism which unfortunately has done very little to improve this nation which seems cursed despite its rich culture, geography and diversity.
It all leaves one to wonder where is humanity?
The film itself ( black and white) uses all of the elements to illustrate the emotions of the young woman that does not want to be a prostitute, the farmer that would rather destroy his life's efforts than hand it over to the American Fruit company, the student that would rather die a martyr than live a slave and finally, a father that chooses to go and fight a revolution and leave his family behind so that someday perhaps they will have a better life!
Earlier I read a comment that implied this was the easiest film to understand ever, it appears as though a few people who wrote reviews didn't get it at all! Similar to the American oppressors who could have built up a poor but promising nation and created a beautiful relationship but didn't see the real picture! Yes Alex I am talking to you. I f you care to learn about Cuban history read about Jose Marti who was the fulcrum of liberation for Cubans against the Spanish. It isn't propaganda when it is real!