Today Cuban cinema has lost one of its most sensitive and committed exponents. Jonal Cosculluela Sánchez, who died at the age of 47, was not only a director, but a dreamer who knew how to materialize on the big screen the stories of perseverance and struggle that inspired him so much.
Born in 1977 and graduated in Film Direction from the Higher Institute of Art (ISA), Cosculluela began his career in the ins and outs of the Cuban Institute of Radio and Television (ICRT), where, between 1999 and 2009, he worked as a sound engineer. and editor. His career reached new horizons by making series, documentaries and teleplays for both Cuban television and independent production companies. However, his real film debut came with Estebana film that marked a milestone in his career and in recent Cuban cinema.
The story of EstebanCosculluela’s debut feature, tells the life of a nine-year-old boy who, in the midst of adversity, finds a path to his dreams through the piano. With a script by Amílcar Salatti and music by Chucho Valdés, the film managed to capture the essence of what it means to dream despite limitations. “I am one of the people who does not abandon a dream,” Cosculluela once expressed, and that philosophy was reflected in the character of Esteban, who, according to the director, “decides to follow his path without considering consequences.”
For Cosculluela, cinema was not only a tool of expression, but also an invitation to resist, to challenge the impossible. As he expressed in one of his lectures: “I didn’t know it was impossible, that’s why I did it.”
Throughout his career, Jonal demonstrated a unique ability to handle the complexity of working with young actors, such as Reynaldo Guanche, who played Esteban. Cosculluela was looking for actors who not only had talent, but also a strong and mature personality, capable of enduring long days of filming and adapting to the environment.
“Reynaldo worked in a game environment… The filming crew was small and mostly young, so the environment was favorable,” the filmmaker recalled. It created a space of trust and naturalness, where children could improvise and connect with their characters in an authentic way. His patience and empathy were key to guiding his team and extracting the most genuine performances.
In Estebanthe director explored the harshness of Cuban reality, with a sensitivity that invited reflection. The film addresses themes such as family dysfunction and lack of resources, exposing the daily struggle of a mother and her son to achieve a dream.
However, far from presenting a pessimistic story, Cosculluela managed to provide the narrative with a cautious and sincere optimism. “Even in the worst scenario, the most important thing is to achieve what we have set out to do,” he said, insisting on the need for cinema to become a space of hope, but without ignoring the difficulties.
His legacy also includes other productions, such as Hasdrubal (2008), High contrast (2010) y Room for Rent (2010), each of which shows its ability to capture the essence of humanity in diverse contexts. Although Esteban It was his greatest success, awarded at festivals in Stockholm, Huelva and Chicago. All his works share a common characteristic: the search for a deep and universal connection with the viewer.
As he himself said: “that mothers and fathers approach us excitedly at the end of the screenings… is proof that the communication of the story and its characters, with the audience, was achieved.”
Jonal also left a significant legacy through his work on the documentary Hugs will returna work that documented the tireless work of medical teams in Cuba during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.
This documentary not only captured the essence of the commitment and solidarity of health professionals, but also became a vital testimony for the nation’s historical memory. By collecting images of the medical care and sacrifice of those fighting on the front lines, Jonal contributed to the construction of a collective narrative that will endure over time.
Jonal Cosculluela Sánchez leaves us with a cinema that not only tells stories, but also builds dreams and hopes for a better future.
