Cuban actor Ricardo Becerra attended the premiere of Plantedthe new film by his compatriot and friend, the filmmaker Lilo Vilaplana.
The premiere took place within the framework of the Miami International Film Festival, and both the director and Becerra walked the red carpet, who took the opportunity to launch a message against the Cuban dictatorship with a garment alluding to ‘Che Guevara’.
The film was announced in 2022, and its production was finished in just one year, with which it managed to premiere at the same event as its first installment.
The tape was very well received by the public, with a full auditorium, and with great acceptance from the general public and especially from Cuban exiles.
Vilaplana clarified a long time ago that the work is not a sequel to plantedsince the story is not related at all, but seeks a female perspective of the Cuban repression of the middle of the last century.
Likewise, it is not about exact adapted testimonies, as in the case of the first film, but the story is an amalgamation of real experiences of political prisoners, represented in fictitious characters.
Becerra spoke with Cuban newspaperexpressing his happiness for the good reception at the premiere, and sharing his impressions on Vilaplana’s new work.
“Yesterday’s film was a total success. It seemed to me that the stories are as strong or stronger than those of plantedbecause imagine, when women are involved, although there is not so much coup, the tortures, more than anything psychological, are the ones that prevail in this film”, he explained.
As part of the emotionality of the first performance, real ex-political prisoners were present, who contributed their stories to the creation of the film, something that had a great impact on the actor.
“It was impressive to see the political prisoners planted there, one of them who had spent 19 years in prison. Very strong. It was a magical night, but as always, remember that these men and women are asking, not for revenge, but for justice,” she stated.
The actor recounted that many of the actors in planted they made cameos as secondary characters in this second installment, but he could not be there. Despite everything, he reiterated his support for the project and its director.
I am one of the few actors planted which is not in PlantedNot because we don’t want to. We were all going to have a scene, a kind of cameo, but precisely the scene in which I was going to appear was on tour in Los Angeles (…) Due to the characteristics that I have, the unique ‘barbota’ that I have, that was the scene in which a character with a similar physique could be in the film”, he explained.
The film continues to be shown at the festival, and will hit commercial theaters in Miami through CMX Cinemas, starting March 17. Tickets are already available here.
