MicroCinema Scene

Children in an isolated village outside of Havana find their creativity sparked by the arrival of documentary filmmakers in Cuban director Miguel Coyula’s nonfiction piece Idea.

Coyula coaches the youngsters philosophically in storytelling and technically in filmmaking, and suddenly a font of inspiration wells up, centering around a dark cave near the edge of town.  The youngster’s exploration of the cave, and their running commentaries of what they extrapolate might have or could possibly happen there, are the core of the work.

Shot in a straightforward fashion, but edited in a more dramatic style, what is engaging about this short is how it shows the transformative power of ideas on those with very limited resources to share them.  Idea also offers a rare glimpse into the lives of rural Cubans; most interestingly, an enterprising woman who runs a quasi-cable system/movie theater with one VCR and a lot of coaxial cable, strung throughout an entire apartment building.

Those who doubt the importance of the arts, and their impact on people from all walks of life, should take a look at Idea.  Viewers are sure to feel inspired by the simple, yet lyrical narrative and the slice of life afforded by Coyula’s work.

Four stars.

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