MIAMI, United States. — Tomas Gutierrez Aleaalso known as “Titón”, was a prominent Cuban filmmaker, famous for films such as memories of underdevelopment and Strawberry and Chocolate.
Born on December 11, 1928 in Havana and died on April 16, 1996 in the same city, Gutiérrez Alea was one of the main exponents of Latin American cinema. Similarly, he is considered a key figure in the film movement known as New Latin American Cinema.
Gutiérrez Alea began his film career in the 1950s, working in different aspects of film production. He was director of the San Antonio de los Baños International Film and Television School in Cuba for several years and also collaborated with the Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry (ICAIC).
Throughout his career, Gutiérrez Alea directed numerous films, whose themes focused on the social and political reality of Cuba and Latin America. Some of his most impactful works were memories of underdevelopment (1968), The Last Supper (1976), The survivors (1978) and Strawberry and Chocolate (1993), the latter co-directed with Juan Carlos Tabío.
Especially successful in Cuba and abroad was Strawberry and Chocolate, which tells the story of the friendship between a young homosexual and another communist. The film was nominated for Oscar for Best Foreign Film and won several awards at international film festivals.
Gutiérrez Alea received numerous awards and recognitions throughout his career, including the Gold Medal of the Venice Film Festival in 1992 and the First Degree “Félix Varela” Order, the highest cultural distinction bestowed by the Cuban regime.
Gutiérrez Alea’s legacy as a filmmaker has been recognized by critics and the general public, and his films continue to be an important reference in the history of Latin American cinema.
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