Filmmaker Catherine Murphy's illuminating documentary looks at an interesting aspect of the aftermath of the 1959 Cuban revolution: Cuba's ambitious literacy campaign of 1961, during which young adult urban men and women (primarily the latter) were recruited to go into deep rural areas—family farms, sugar plantations—and teach illiterate people of all ages to read and write. Eager to explore new possibilities, thousands of teenaged girls signed onto the task, in some cases against their parents' wishes. Maestra (which means “teacher”) features excellent archival footage and photos, including shots of long lines of girls hiking through mountainous regions, where there was no electricity to reach people with little education. A number of these literacy tutors, now in their 60s and 70s, recall working on the land during the day and holding writing and reading lessons at night. For a year, they became—in most cases—members of the hosting families, and they credit this experience for launching them into professional careers. A fascinating sidebar concerns the U.S.-led Bay of Pigs invasion, which failed but left a number of armed insurgents roaming the countryside, disrupting the former calm of the literacy lessons. A fine film about a little-profiled facet of Cuban history, this is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)
Maestra
(2013) 33 min. In Spanish w/English subtitles. DVD: $89: public libraries, $295: colleges & universities. Women Make Movies. PPR. Volume 31, Issue 3
Maestra
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