Ernest Hemingway biopic Papa premiers today as part of Cuba’s 37th International Festival of New Latin Cinema, Variety reports.
Last month, the film won “Best Narrative” award at the Key West Film Festival.
Papa, based on a true story, follows journalist Ed Myers (Giovanni Ribisi) on his adventure to Cuba during the time period preceding the 1959 revolution. Ed’s mission to meet his idol, the legendary Ernest Hemingway (Adrian Sparks), leads him to find Hemingway hidden away at a private estate with his wife Mary (Joely Richardson). The elusive author mentors Myers in fishing, drinking, and finding his voice, while the Cuban Revolution boils around them. In this turbulent landscape, beholding an icon in his twilight years, Myers discovers his strength, while discovering the humanity in all of our heroes.
Papa is the first Hollywood film to be shot in the country since the 1959 revolution. Cast members Adrian Sparks, Joely Richardson and Hemingway’s granddaughter Mariel Hemingway are expected to be in attendance.
“It was an absolute passion to actually make it in Cuba where everything that is in the script happened, where the finca [farm] is where [Hemingway] lived, where his boat was, all the spots from the Morro castle to Cojimar where he fished,” Yari told Hollywood Reporter. “It’s all here, so trying to duplicate it somewhere else was not very appealing.”
The 37th International Festival of New Latin American Cinema will be held in La Habana from December 3th to 13th, 2015. The Festival promotes and awards those works whose significance and artistic values contribute to enrich and reaffirm the Latin American and Caribbean cultural identity.
Each year the Festival calls for entries in Fiction, Documentary, Animation, Opera Prima, Unproduced Script, Poster as well as the Competition for the ALBA Cultural’s Postproduction Award “Our America First Copy”. The program includes a showcase of contemporary world cinema, the Industry Sector initiatives as well as meetings and seminars on issues of cultural interest with a special focus one cinema.
Read more about Hemingway –> How I Found Hemingway in Havana
