Bitter Sugar

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Bitter Sugar ★★★ Azucar Amarga 1996

Young, idealistic communist Gustavo (Lavan) is a Havana university student who still believes that the Castro regime can make things better. His rock musician brother Bobby (Villanueva) is a radical, defying government policies, and his psychiatrist father Tomas (Gutierrez) makes more money playing piano at a tourist hotel than in his practice. But Gustavo's eyes are opened, not only by his family situtation, but when he falls in love with cynical dancer Yolanda (Vilan), who longs to escape to Miami. Serious politics bolstered by excellent performances and sharp cinematography. Spanish with subtitles. 102m/B VHS, DVD . CU Rene Lavan, Mayte Vilan, Miguel Gutierrez, Larry Villanueva; D: Leon Ichaso; W: Leon Ichaso, Orestes Matacena; C: Claudio Chea; M: Manuel Tejada.