Cubamor (2001)

Cubamor is a story of love, mysticism and self discovery set in Havana, Cuba, 2000. The story follows two encounters of love between Americans and Cubans, and though the characters do not know each other, they often share the same settings, and live in the same neighborhood. Lazaro is an American studying Afro-Cuban music at the International School of Art in Havana, Cuba. Before he leaves for the island, he makes a promise to his fiancée, Fatima, as well as the Yoruba Goddess Oshun, swearing that he will remain faithful for the three months apart. Lazaro spends his mornings taking music classes and is quickly swept into the mystical world of Cuban Santeria in the afternoons. His friend and tutor, Galo takes Lazaro to meet his grandfather, Tato, a Lukumi Priest of Shango and Tata (priest) of the Kongolese religion Palo Monte. Lazaro is initiated in Lukumi and Palo, and experiences first hand, the magic of the African religious systems in Cuba. Enchanted by Galo's cousin, Maria, a beautiful Priestess of Oshun; the goddess of Love, Art, Rivers and Sweets, Lazaro breaks his promise and Oshun punishes him with a version of stigmata. Renato, a Cuban jinetero (gigolo) earns his living by entertaining tourists in the district of Habana Vieja. His story begins in desperation. He lacks the ruthlessness of other gigolos, and is in a financial crisis because of his integrity. He walks out of town seeking a vision by taking mushrooms in Canasi. Here he meets his patron Orisha Eleggua, a small boy with an old mans face, and is given visions of his past and future, and the face of Zoe, a beautiful American girl. Love at first sight ends in marriage and finally relocation to the States, where Renato plans to pursue his dream; a career as a Reggae singer in a foreign land. Direct from the Cuban Underground, cubamor brings us into a colorful, mystical world where love knows no borders. Mixing magical realism surreality, and cinema verite immediacy, cubamor finds the earthy in the ethereal, sincerity among the world of hustlers, and searches the hearts of our protagonists for love of strangers.