Memories Of Underdevelopment

Synopsis

Hailed as one of – if not the most – sophisticated film ever to come out of Cuba, Memories of Underdevelopment (Memorias del Subdesarollo) is visionary Cuban director Tomas Gutierrez Alea's tour de force. Memories of Underdevelopment follows Sergio (Sergio Correiri – Soy Cuba), through his life, following the departure of his wife, parents and friends in the wake of the Bay of Pigs fiasco. Alone in a brave new world, Sergio observes the constant threat of foreign invasion, before meeting Elena (Daisy Granados), a young woman he seeks to mould into the image of his ex-wife, but at what cost to himself?

Even though director Tomas Gutierrez Alea was a staunch and devoted supporter of the revolution, Memories of Underdevelopment offers a raw and uncompromising analysis of the newly formed system of government. Through a moving blend of narrative fiction, still photography and rare documentary footage, Alea catalogues the intricacies of the early days of the Castro regime; producing a stirring and enigmatic work that feeds off the culture of the very subject it is studying: Cuba.