Directed by: Pam Sporn | 2007 | United States/Cuba | 28 mins.
The untold story of cigarmakers and literature in Cuba.
With a Stroke of the Chaveta tells the little-known story of cigarmakers and literature in Cuba.
This unique film takes viewers into the legendary cigar factories of Cuba to witness the survival of the collective reading of literature while tabaqueros roll cigars. We learn how through la lectura de tabaquería cigar workers have been entertained, educated, and maintained a sense of class solidarity since the 1860s.
Current-day readers tell us about the challenges of meeting the expectations of a knowledgeable and demanding workforce and the satisfaction of receiving the applause of hundreds of chavetas in unison. Meanwhile, los tabaqueros tell us they can’t imagine a workplace without their esteemed lectores.
A wonderful film for courses on literacy, labor, or Latin America.