A little bit about #ficgibara2018

The International Gibara Film Festival (FIC Gibara) is held annually in the small coastal town of Gibara, in the Eastern part of Cuba close to the city of Holguin. Originally a “Cine Pobre” festival created by legendary Cuban filmmaker Humberto Solás, FIC Gibara (celebrating its 14th edition this coming July 1-7) has grown to become an international festival but maintains a close relationship with its roots… with the community in which it takes place, and the arts and artists it highlights. It is more than a film festival: it is an important symbol of the arts in Cuba and Cuba’s relationship with the arts across the world, whilst being the most important cultural event in the region. Gibareños (those native to Gibara) and their neighbors thrive each year during the festival thanks to the attention, visitors, and jobs created by this event.

FIC Gibara doesn’t only highlight films and filmmaking, but all arts. The festival is a week filled with film screenings, live music, artists painting murals, workshops, parties, and more. All possible arts are featured, and artists and filmmakers from Cuba and abroad are the center of attention throughout. Unlike some large international film festivals, FIC Gibara is more of a “home-grown” festival that truly focuses on artistic talent and resolve, as well as the communities that welcome and support these artists. However, this home-grown approach doesn’t stop this event from becoming more international each year, and from attracting prominent figures such as Benicio del Toro, Nicole Rocklin, Fito Páez, Demián Bichir, and others. With Cuba’s most prominent actor, Jorge Perugorria (affectionately known as Pichi) taking over the festival two years ago, it is taking on an even more important role in Cuba’s film and cultural world.

Mourning the victims of a horrendous tragedy

We offer our most sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims of the plane crash yesterday, May 18^th, near Havana’s Jose Marti airport. This tragedy has left us speechless and we join our country in mourning. Our hearts are broken. We send our positive thoughts and hopes for the few victims who miraculously survived the crash and are currently undergoing care in Havana’s hospitals.

Ballet Nacional de Cuba performing at the Kennedy Center May 29th to June 3rd

Cuba’s New President

First Vice President Miguel Díaz-Canel was sworn in as President of Cuba this morning, after yesterday’s vote in the National Assembly.

threeASFOUR in Havana

Four Wives is proud to have collaborated recently with the avant-garde fashion designers threeASFOUR and Cuban artist Cucu Diamantes. We hope to welcome many more designers to Cuba and look forward to being involved in Cuba’s growing fashion industry.

For more on this past weekend’s event’s please click on the articles below:

https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2018-ready-to-wear/threeasfour

De Nueva York a Cuba. ThreeASFOUR nos trajo su visión de la moda

Photo: Vogue Magazine

Photo: Vogue Magazine

Photo: Vogue Magazine

Photo: Vogue Magazine

Photo: Vogue Magazine

Movies, Music, and Fun at FICGibara: July 1^st to 7^th, 2018

Four Wives is proud to be part of the executive team organizing The Gibara International Film Festival (FIC Gibara).

FIC Gibara, originally focused on Indy filmmaking, has maintained those values through its growth to an international film festival. However, it is not just a film festival. Each year conferences, acting workshops, and audiovisual creation workshops are given, environmental responsibility fairs take place, and collective murals are created that adorn the urban landscape of Gibara (a small town in Eastern Cuba); Not to mention the many concerts by highly renowned musicians that fill the days and nights at FICGibara to create a truly unforgettable experience.

Aside from its cultural and artistic value, FICGibara has a substantial community reach and has been the backbone of the local development of Gibara in the 21^st Century. The population benefits from the multiculturalism of a highly accessible event that fills the entire city, and the festival-goers benefit from the passion Gibareños pour into their beloved event.

#ficgibara  #gibaralomerece

Cuba’s popularity is back… making way for new flights to Havana from major US cities 

And… We’re back!! Cuba is back on the map for US travelers! After a year of decreased American travel to the island due to a variety of factors (hurricane, travel advisory, and a lack of understanding regarding Trump’s new travel restrictions), it seems that Americans have realized that it is still not only possible, but easy, to travel to Cuba. Now US-based airlines, who seem to see the long-term potential of Cuba tourism, are bidding for new flight routes to the island.

Earlier this week, the DOT (Department of Transportation) approved proposals for four additional daily and six weekly flights between the U.S. and Cuba. Applicants have 15 days to file objections to the distribution before the decisions become final.

The proposed flights (which are in additional to current flights between the US and Cuba) are:

• American Airlines and Delta Air Lines to each get a new daily flight from Miami
• Southwest Airlines to get a daily flight from Fort Lauderdale
• JetBlue Airways to get a Sunday-through-Friday flight from Fort Lauderdale and a Saturday flight from Boston
• United Airlines/Mesa Airlines to share a Sunday-through-Friday flight from Houston

Who will be Cuba’s next president?

Parliamentary elections were held in Cuba on March 11^th, 2018 to elect members of the National Assembly of People’s Power, alongside provincial elections. President Raúl Castro will not be seeking a new term, and a new President of the Council of State will be elected by the National Assembly. Raúl Castro will therefore be stepping down as Cuba’s president next week, on April 19, 2018.

While many believe that Cuba’s next leader will be Cuba’s First Vice President Miguel Díaz-Canel, it is impossible to know who will succeed President Castro.