Cuba has long been associated by many in the United States with communism, revolutionaries, and more. However, what many don’t realize is how closely tied the United States and Cuba were and how many people still have a stake in the country of Cuba today.
Directed and edited by Mirella Martinelli, Frenemies: Cuba and the U.S. Embargo uses personal experiences from a variety of speakers, Cuban and otherwise, and brings the viewer through a discussion about rebuilding the Cuban Revolution, the Bay of Pigs invasion, the Missile Crisis, and the Red Scare. The film travels through history making use of archival footage along with contemporary footage captured in Cuba bringing the audience to 2019.
The documentary has a notable absence of dominant voiceover narration to bring the narrative of the film forward—however, this serves as a strength for the film, as Martinelli allows the personal testimonies of Cubans and those who lived in Cuba to construct the history of the embargo.
The accounts are artfully paired with archival and present-day footage that tells a story of a long-lasting embargo that persists despite a lack of popular support in the United States and economic upheaval in Cuba. The documentary also delves into Cuba’s social structures, highlighting the friendly culture of the nation and some successes of the socialist reforms of the Cuban Revolution in the 1950s and 1960s.
Overall, the documentary is less of a historical overview of the events of the time and more of a personal perspective of the embargo, bringing the experiences of teachers, environmentalists, political scientists, photojournalists, ex-military members, and more together to describe the nation of Cuba and the effects of the embargo, both nationally and personally.
Thought-provoking, the documentary sheds light on an embargo that continues today despite the many votes the United Nations has put forward that the United States put an end to it. While somewhat heavy-handed in its portrayal, the message of the film is clear, as seen by the final words put on the screen before the credits roll: “LIFT the EMBARGO.”
What academic subjects would this film be suitable for?
This would be suited for a university history class or a culture class.
What kind of film series would this documentary fit in?
Programmers should consider this documentary for a well-rounded film series on the Cold War. This would also fit well in a film series on U.S. involvement in Latin-American countries.
What schools or colleges is this educational documentary appropriate for?
This documentary would be an excellent resource for any college class on history, especially a Spanish class that wants to examine Cuban culture.