The Minister of Culture of Cuba, Alpidio Alonso, lamented the passing today of the prestigious Havana-born filmmaker Manuel Pérez Paredes, at 85 years of age.
The Minister of Culture of Cuba, Alpidio Alonso, lamented the passing today of the prestigious Havana-born filmmaker Manuel Pérez Paredes, at 85 years of age.
«The news of the death of Manolito Pérez, one of the great Cuban filmmakers, fills us with sadness; founder of the ICAIC and director, among other films, of that classic which is The Man from Maisinicú, he was a true master, a wise man; my condolences to his family and friends,» expressed the official on his social media X account.
Joining his condolences is the message transmitted by the president of the Union of Cuban Writers and Artists, Lourdes de los Santos, who recalled the filmmaker’s career.
«The details of his funeral honours are not yet known but will be given as soon as they are known; creator of the iconic film The Man from Maisinicú, he leaves behind a legacy of wonderful works and advisory roles for not a few films,» concluded de los Santos.
Likewise, the International Festival of New Latin American Cinema issued a statement on the digital platform Facebook, in which it highlighted the role played by Pérez Paredes in the creation and dissemination of the national seventh art, being deserving of the Coral de Honor award, during the 41st edition of the event.
The publication also added a fragment of a text written by the director of the Cinemateca of Cuba, Luciano Castillo.
«The International Festival of New Latin American Cinema, which has always been unable to do without Manuel Pérez Paredes, awards a Coral de Honor to the most lucid and sharp chronicler of the history of the ICAIC from its foundational times,» described Castillo.
Manuel Pérez was a prestigious Cuban filmmaker, director of one of the Icaic Creation Groups (1988-1992), who stood out for the productions Madagascar, Hello Hemingway, Adorables Mentiras and La Bella del Alhambra.
Also his are Why Was the Rebel Army Born?, The Adventures of Juan Quin Quin (1967), Río Negro (1977), Pages from Mauricio’s Diary (2006) and The Life That Has Been Left Behind (2021).
For his contribution to the national cinematography, he belonged to the Directing Council of the Foundation of New Latin American Cinema and held the title of Doctor Honoris Causa from the University of the Arts of Cuba.
