Contradictions of Love and Freedom in 'Voices of the Sea,' Film on Cuba Premieres This Monday

Torn between finally fulfilling her dreams and caring for her husband and children, a young mother weighs the hope and promise of leaving Cuba against the heartbreaking pain of separation. Ostensibly, this film is a love story: between husband and wife and man and country. This lyrical portrait of contemporary Cuban realities gives an intimate, meditative glimpse into a family's dynamic way of life in Voices of the Sea.

Directed by Kim Hopkins, Voices of the Sea has its national broadcast and streaming debut on the PBS documentary series POV and pov.org this Monday, September 3, 2018 at 10 p.m. (check local listings). POV is American television's longest-running independent documentary series now in its 31st season.

The documentary artistically illustrates the many facets of family life in a rural, remote fishing village on the southern side of the island. Mariela's husband, Orlando (also known as Pita), is an aging fisherman with a passion for his craft. He loves his country and while determined to stay in Cuba, he scrapes by to provide for his family. He understands and accepts his mortality and place in this world with grace, wisdom and wit. His craft, and the characteristics that come with it, are integral to who he is: patient, caring and determined. His love for Mariela and for Cuba makes this an emotional tale of longing.

Mariela loves her husband but yearns for the opportunities emigration has to offer. She hears firsthand from Roilan, her brother who has attempted this exhausting journey 21 times, when he finally reaches the United States on a homemade boat. Her face lights up with excitement for him and his new life. We later come to find out that Mariela's first husband drowned while trying to escape Cuba on a raft. The connection to this true reality of a cautionary tale not only surrounds the family, but the entire island. Keeping Mariela from this journey is her love for Pita, and THE FAMILY they have together in Cuba. Her desire to go is overpowered by the connection she and Pita share.

Mariela is a compassionate mother who is constantly thinking of her children's future. It's the driving force of her desire to emigrate: "A better future for my kids...What do you want to be? 'Fisherman.' They don't know any different. They have no hopes for anything else."

Orlando, however, is suspicious of the American dream, calling it "illusionary." He is content with things the way they are, even though family members and neighbors all around them are fleeing.

Mesmerizing scenes of the nearby beachfront and the unhurried pace of life in town create a layered picturesque backdrop, this juxtaposed with harrowing on-board raft footage adds to this family drama.

"Voices of the Sea is a moving narrative of family life just 90 miles from American soil," said Chris White, executive producer of POV. "It engages us in an empathetic portrait of the challenges facing everyday Cubans, while complicating the narrative that everyone wants to leave. We see in Mariela and Pita this dichotomy, and Kim gracefully teases out this tension between them."

Kim Hopkins is a graduate of the National Film and Television School, UK. In 1999, she directed the feature documentary Man in the Sand (BBC2), recounting the story of singer/songwriter Billy Bragg's search for the legend Woody Guthrie. In 2002, Kim directed Wanted, a feature documentary funded by UK Film Council, A&E/WDR/Soros. Wanted premiered at Locarno, London and Viennale festivals, and told THE STORY BEHIND a suspected Native American serial killer. Kim spent a decade making television for the BBC, C4, and Discovery. In 2012, Kim produced, filmed and directed Hotel Folly - Folie á Deux (IDFA, Cambridge & Vilnius) for BBC Storyville, which focused on the human cost of the banking crisis. Kim was instrumental in the formation of the Documentary Department at Escuela Internacional de Cine y Televisión, Cuba.

Credits:
Director: Kim Hopkins
Producers: Margareta Szabo, Kim Hopkins, Capella Fahoome
Editor: Leah Marino, Kim Hopkins
Executive Producers for POV: Justine Nagan, Chris White

Voices of the Sea is a co-production of ITVS, a San Francisco-based nonprofit organization that has, for over 25 years, funded and partnered with a diverse range of documentary filmmakers to produce and distribute untold stories. ITVS incubates and co-produces these award-winning films and then airs them for free on public television through weekly series and stand-alone specials and through its digital platform, OVEE. ITVS is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. For more information, visit itvs.org.

Produced by American Documentary, Inc., POV is public television's premier showcase for nonfiction films. Since 1988, POV has been the home for the world's boldest contemporary filmmakers, celebrating intriguing personal stories that spark conversation and inspire action. Always an innovator, POV discovers fresh new voices and creates interactive experiences that shine a light on social issues and elevate the art of storytelling. With our documentary broadcasts, original online programming and dynamic community engagement campaigns, we are committed to supporting films that capture the imagination and present diverse perspectives.

POV films have won 37 Emmy® Awards, 21 George Foster Peabody Awards, 12 Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Awards, three Academy Awards®, the first-ever George Polk Documentary Film Award and the Prix Italia. The POV series has been honored with a Special News & Documentary Emmy Award for Excellence in Television Documentary Filmmaking, three IDA Awards for Best Curated Series and the National Association of Latino Independent Producers Award for CORPORATE Commitment to Diversity. Learn more at www.pbs.org/pov/.

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