Humberto Solás was one of the most talented filmmakers ever to come out of Cuba. His work is highly regarded around the world and won many prestigious film festival prizes, including a nomination for Golden Palm at Cannes.

Born in Havana on December 4, 1941, Solás became a soldier fighting the Batista regime by the age of fourteen. At eighteen, he made his first experimental film. A year later, he became a member of the Cuban Film Institute ICAIC. Employed as an assistant in production and direction, he helped create shorts for the Latin American Newsreel program.

At the age of 26, he made an auspicious feature debut with Lucía (1968). An epic consisting of three love stories set in different periods of Cuban history and each told in a unique style, the film brought Solás international recognition and is still considered by critics to be one of the most important films in world cinematography.

In 1981, Solás’ film Cecilia caused a scandal due to his modification and transformation of Villaverde’s novel. It was the most controversial release in Cuban film history. The film Miel para Oshún (2001), a tale of loss, longing and rediscovery, was lauded by the Sundance Institute for its “wonderful performance, beautiful cinematography, [and] sense of humor.” Miel para Oshún and Barrio Cuba (2005) were parts of a planned trilogy about the Cuban social struggle. Humberto Solás died on September 17, 2008 in Havana.

Films as director (selection): Barrio Cuba (2005), Miel para Oshún (2001), El siglo de las luces (1992), Obataleo (1988), Un hombre de éxito (1987), Amada (1982), Cecilia (1981), Wifredo Lam (1979, documentary), Nacer en Leningrado (1977, documentary), La Cantata de Chile (1975), Simparelé (1974, documentary), Un día de noviembre (1972), Crear 1,2,3... (1970, documentary), Lucía (1968), Manuela (1966, short film) Sources: Jump Cut l Film Quarterly l Cuban Cinema l World Cinema since 1945 l A Guide to Cuban Cinema l The Oxford History of World Cinema l The Cuban Filmography 1897-2001 l ICESTORM Cuban films booklet