The Revolution is History: Filming the Past in Mexico and Cuba

Resumen

As is their nature, social revolutions in Mexico and Cuba dramatically altered the lives of millions. During the «effervescent» periods which followed the uprisings's triumphs, political and socioeconomic transformation bettered the lot of most people, and cultural creativity flourished; unfortunately, the revolutions were later deformed into dictatorships -of party in Mexico, of individual in Cuba.2 Caught up in the midst of these soul-shaking metamorphoses, filmmakers have reflected critically on the legitimizing myths of the New Orders, as well as participated enthusiastically in their construction.