Strawberry and Chocolate

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Strawberry and Chocolate ★★★ Fresa y Chocolate 1993 (R)

Sex, politics, and friendship set in 1979 Havana. University student David (Cruz) is sitting morosely in a cafe eating chocolate ice cream when he's spotted by older, educated, gay, strawberry-eating Diego (Perugorria), who manages to persuade David to visit him at his apartment. Resolutely hetero (and communist), David is appalled not only by Diego's sexuality but by his subversive politics. But gradually David's seduced by Diego's ideas and friendship into questioning the regime's harsh policies (and homophobia). Satiric and sympathetic—not only to the characters but to Cuba itself. Ill with cancer, Gutierrez Alea finished the film with the aid of Tabio. From the short story “The Wolf, the Forest and the New Man” by sceenwriter Paz. Spanish with subtitles. 110m/C VHS, DVD . CU Jorge Perugorria, Vladimir Cruz, Mirta Ibarra, Francisco Gattorno, Jorge Angelino, Marilyn Solaya; D: Tomas Gutierrez Alea, Juan Carlos Tabio; W: Tomas Gutierrez Alea, Senel Paz; C: Mario Garcia Joya; M: Jose Maria Vitier.

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