Director/Producer: Margaux Ouimet

Description:

In this film, four powerful and diverse protagonists take us on an engaging and troubling journey through Cuba’s historical and present-day struggles, guided by the principles set out by national hero, poet and abolitionist, José Martí (1853-1895)–specifically in his essay “Mi raza/My race.” History is presented as lively storytelling by historian Dr. Lillian Guerra. Human rights struggles are embodied by lawyer Laritza Diversent as well as Cuban activist rappers who put their safety on the line. Award-winning exiled Cuban political cartoonist, Ramsés illustrates the high wire tensions of life in Cuba. And legendary protest singer, Pete Seeger and his grandson Tao relate part of the saga of the popular anthem, “Guantanamera,” whose lyrics were penned by José Martí.

Biography:

Margaux Ouimet is Canadian filmmaker who began working in documentary film at the National Film Board of Canada. Her first assignment was as special assistant to director Paul Cowan on Stages, a film sponsored by Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs about Canadian performing artists, for distribution in Canadian Embassies around the world. Margaux worked at the NFB for over ten years, as a writer, director and producer of several award-winning documentaries and short fiction. Le vent dans les voiles, co-directed by Ouimet, won Best Social Documentary at Parma Film Festival. She produced and co-directed The Road from Kampuchea which won Best Political Documentary and the Vision TV Humanitarian Award at HOT DOCS International Festival, in 1998. In television production, Margaux Ouimet created and production managed a twenty-six-part television series, Pareil pas Pareil, broadcast on Radio-Canada TV over two seasons and winning two Prix Gémeaux. Ouimet was associate producer and co-writer of La Cueca Sola which won Best Medium-Length Canadian Documentary at HOT DOCS and the Audience Award at Cine Las Americas International Film Festival in Austin.

Contact Information:

e: mark@bullfrogfilms.com 
w: www.bullfrogfilms.com