Humberto Solás
Encyclopedia
Humberto Solás was a Cuba
n film director
, credited with directing the classic film Lucía (1968), which explored the lives of Cuban women during different periods in Cuban history.
His cinematic style borrows from Luchino Visconti
's spectacular mise en scene
and is permeated by sometimes heavy melodrama
. He started making shorts
at a very young age, before directing his first medium length film Manuela, in 1966. The success of this film led him to direct Lucía, an ambitious period piece told in three stories in different moments of Cuban history, all as seen through the eyes of a different woman, each named Lucia. He later directed many different projects with a degree of success, but he never matched again the international acclaim of his first feature.
Solás has won 13 awards for filmmaking and been nominated for an additional 9. He has twice served on the jury at the Berlin International Film Festival
, in 1977
and 1997. In 2003, he founded Gibara's Poor Cinema Festival, "open to filmmakers with limited funds". Solás was awarded Cuba's National Film Prize in 2005.
Humberto Solás died of cancer
on September 18, 2008, at the age of 66.
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, credited with directing the classic film Lucía (1968), which explored the lives of Cuban women during different periods in Cuban history.
His cinematic style borrows from Luchino Visconti
Luchino Visconti
Luchino Visconti di Modrone, Count of Lonate Pozzolo was an Italian theatre, opera and cinema director, as well as a screenwriter. He is best known for his films The Leopard and Death in Venice .-Life:...
's spectacular mise en scene
Mise en scène
Mise-en-scène is an expression used to describe the design aspects of a theatre or film production, which essentially means "visual theme" or "telling a story"—both in visually artful ways through storyboarding, cinematography and stage design, and in poetically artful ways through direction...
and is permeated by sometimes heavy melodrama
Melodrama
The term melodrama refers to a dramatic work that exaggerates plot and characters in order to appeal to the emotions. It may also refer to the genre which includes such works, or to language, behavior, or events which resemble them...
. He started making shorts
Shorts
Shorts are a bifurcated garment worn by both men and women over their pelvic area, circling the waist, and covering the upper part of the legs, sometimes extending down to or even below the knee, but not covering the entire length of the leg. They are called "shorts" because they are a shortened...
at a very young age, before directing his first medium length film Manuela, in 1966. The success of this film led him to direct Lucía, an ambitious period piece told in three stories in different moments of Cuban history, all as seen through the eyes of a different woman, each named Lucia. He later directed many different projects with a degree of success, but he never matched again the international acclaim of his first feature.
Solás has won 13 awards for filmmaking and been nominated for an additional 9. He has twice served on the jury at the Berlin International Film Festival
Berlin International Film Festival
The Berlin International Film Festival , also called the Berlinale, is one of the world's leading film festivals and most reputable media events. It is held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in West Berlin in 1951, the festival has been celebrated annually in February since 1978...
, in 1977
27th Berlin International Film Festival
The 27th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from June 24 to July 5, 1977.-Jury:* Senta Berger * Ellen Burstyn* Helène Vager* Rainer Werner Fassbinder* Derek Malcolm* Andrej Michaolkow-Kontschalowski* Ousmane Sembène...
and 1997. In 2003, he founded Gibara's Poor Cinema Festival, "open to filmmakers with limited funds". Solás was awarded Cuba's National Film Prize in 2005.
Humberto Solás died of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
on September 18, 2008, at the age of 66.
Filmography
Solás directed twenty-four films, from La Huida in 1959 to Barrio Cuba and Adela in 2005, wrote twelve and produced one. The following is an incomplete filmography:- 1958: La Huida
- 1963: El refrato (short)
- 1964: El Acoso (short)
- 1966: Manuela
- 1968: LucíaLucíaLucía is a 1968 Cuban black-and-white film directed by Humberto Solás, and written by Julio García Espinosa and Nelson Rodríguez. It was the winner of the Golden Prize at the 1969 Moscow International Film Festival....
- 1972: Un dia de noviembre
- 1975: Cantata de Chile
- 1981: CeciliaCecilia (1982 film)Cecilia is a 1982 Cuban drama film directed by Humberto Solás. The film is based on the novel Cecilia Valdés by Cirilo Villaverde. It was entered into the 1982 Cannes Film Festival.-Plot:The film takes place in 19th-century Cuba...
- 1986: Un hombre de exitoA Successful ManA Successful Man is a 1985 Cuban drama film directed by Humberto Solás. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1987 Cannes Film Festival...
- 1991: El siglo de las Luces
- 2001: Miel para Oshun
- 2005: Barrio Cuba
- 2005: Adela