Secundaria (Cuba's National Ballet School)

[kylara7]

On the recommendation of a friend with Cuban family, I watched this documentary over the weekend and found it beautiful and insightful. The filmmaker focuses on the ballet students but presents a wider portrait of their families (and the differing backgrounds/classes that they come from) and the Cuban culture. Highly recommended!

From the film description:

Secundaria quietly follows one high school class over a three-year period on its journey through Cuba's world famous National Ballet School. Our teenage dancers love to dance, but many of them must dance as their sole way out of poverty and the constraints-both visible and invisible-that shape life in Cuba.

"What struck me... aside from how terrific the shooting was throughout, was the immense sympathy.. Clear-eyed...Stunning!" - Ross McElwee, Filmmaker Sherman's March, Photographic Memory

Running time: 95 mins

Year: 2012

Filmmakers: Mary Jane Doherty

Languages: Spanish/English