I Am Cuba, the Siberian Mammoth

2005 1h 31m PT

👍

7.3

SOLID

★7.3TMDB · 17

DocumentaryHistory

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Contemporary film critics regard the epic film I Am Cuba as a modern masterpiece. The 1964 Cuban/Soviet coproduction marked a watershed moment of cultural collaboration between two nations. Yet the film never found a mass audience, languishing for decades until its reintroduction as a "classic" in the 1990s. Vicente Ferraz explores the strange history of this cinematic tour de force, and the deeper meaning for those who participated in its creation.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Cast

Othon Bastos
Self (archive footage)
Alexander Calzatti
Self
Fidel Castro
Self (archive footage)
Luz María Collazo
Self
Sergio Corrieri
Self
Maurício do Valle
Self (archive footage)
Yevgeny Yevtushenko
Self (archive footage)
Vicente Ferraz
Self

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Vicente Ferraz
Writers: Vicente Ferraz
Languages: Spanish, Portuguese, Russian
Countries: Brazil

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 21 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: Spanish, Portuguese, Russian.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Vicente Ferraz, shot by Tareq Daoud. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Jenny Padrón. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Mair Tavares shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Othon Bastos and Alexander Calzatti and Fidel Castro carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0436784 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Vicente Ferraz directs. Tareq Daoud behind the camera. Jenny Padrón scores. Mair Tavares cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Brazil. Dialogue in Spanish, Portuguese, Russian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 21 years ago.
2Dialogue crosses 3 languages: Spanish, Portuguese, Russian.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by Vicente Ferraz, shot by Tareq Daoud. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Jenny Padrón. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Mair Tavares shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Othon Bastos and Alexander Calzatti and Fidel Castro carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt0436784 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 17 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.