Andy Garcia Narrates New Documentary Featuring Stories of Cuba's Former Political Prisoners

Celebrating Life in Union is a story of human resilience, community, and brotherhood. It follows a group of former Cuban political prisoners through their memory of imprisonment and their half century fight with the aging Castro regime. Having developed a strong community for themselves that now crosses three generations in Union City, NJ they struggle with the realization that their own mortality may come before they can return to their homeland.



7 Aug 2012 13:35 Africa/Lagos

Andy Garcia narrates new documentary featuring stories of Cuba's former political prisoners

NEW YORK, Aug. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Celebrating Life in Union, a new documentary narrated by Andy Garcia, will premiere at the 2012 New York City International Film Festival at Tribeca Cinemas, August 14 at 6: 00p.m. The film unveils the tragedy and brotherhood of a group of former political prisoners from the Cuban Revolution, who fought for, and then were betrayed by their leader, Fidel Castro.

Director and human rights activist Gladys Bensimon, known for her award-winning documentary Crossing our Borders, learned that a group of these former prisoners, now in their 70s, was living and gathering weekly in Union City, New Jersey. She began attending the meetings as her curiosity grew about what really happened to the people of Cuba during the Revolution. Garcia, a Cuban-American, joined the project to support the former prisoners and to help tell their stories.

"These men were young and passionate when they initially joined Fidel Castro's revolution in Cuba to overthrow dictator Fulgencio Batista," said Bensimon. "They were students, teachers, farmers, businessmen who sacrificed everything to change Cuba for the better. After all that effort, they were betrayed by Castro and forced to lead a counter-revolution in the Escambray Mountains."

Celebrating Life in Union juxtaposes the former prisoners' stories with the stories of their families, who prayed they survive the firing squads that claimed the lives of thousands in a tumultuous Cuba. The men recount the physical and mental abuse they endured during their decades incarcerated. Thousands paid with their lives and many more with their freedom and sanity to fight for a free Cuba.

"I didn't want their stories and the human rights violations of the Castro regime to be forgotten," said Bensimon. "We need to remember what our freedom is worth, and pay respect to those who are brave enough to fight for it."

For more information about Celebrating Life in Union, visit celebratinglifeinunion.com or on Facebook at facebook.com/CelebratingLifeInUnion.

To attend the New York City International Film Festival, visit nyciff.com

About HBR Production Company
HBR Productions is an award-winning multilingual film and video production company with over 20 years of experience in a wide range of genres including commercials, features, animated shorts, short narrative films and documentaries, located in Hoboken, NJ. HBR is led by Gladys Bensimon, an award-winning producer/director, and the President of the company.

Contact:
Gladys Bensimon
HBR Production Company
732-598-4278
gbensimon@gmail.com
www.hbrproductions.com

SOURCE HBR Production Company

Web Site: http://www.hbrproductions.com







Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Addax Petroleum Announces Federal Government Approval of Nigeria Gas Utilisation Initiative

1 Aug 2008 14:21 Africa/Lagos Addax Petroleum Announces Federal Government Approval of Nigeria Gas Utilisation Initiative CALGARY, Canada, August 1/PRNewswire/ -- - International Consortium Formed for Investment in Gas Development - Including the Potential Monetization of OML137 Gas Addax Petroleum Corporation (TSX: AXC and LSE: AXC) ("Addax Petroleum" or the "Corporation"), together with its partners Chrome Oil Services Limited ("Chrome") and Korea Gas Corporation ("KOGAS"), announces today that it has received the approval from the Federal Government of Nigeria, for its proposed implementation of an integrated gas utilization project in Nigeria. Addax Petroleum has also entered into a heads of agreement with Chrome, a leading Nigerian oil and gas company, and KOGAS, South Korea's national gas company, forming an international consortium (the "Consortium") which, upon finalization of the necessary project development agreemen
Read more

Terrorist Attacks on America Before Osama Bin Laden Was Born : 1920 -2005.

Image
This is a record of all terrorist attacks in America and in countries with American interests and on American Embassies and citizens abroad. Osama bin Laden did not create the demons of terrorism. He is only one of the most diabolical and destructive of them all. The devil is the author of Terrorism in his capacity as the Son of Perdition and the father of chaos. It is very important to clarify these issues for the benefit of those who are ignorant and naive and have been jumping to erroneous conclusions. Terrorist Attacks (within the United States or against Americans abroad) 1920: septa. 16, New York City: TNT bomb planted in unattended horse-drawn wagon exploded on Wall Street opposite House of Morgan , killing 35 people and injuring hundreds more. Bolshevist or anarchist terrorists believed responsible, but crime never solved. 1975 Jan. 24, New York City: bomb set off in historic Fraunces Tavern killed 4 and injured more than 50 people. Puerto Rican nationalist group
Read more

Ginny, First Coal Mining Search and Rescue Dog in the World

Image
Ginny, First Coal Mining Search and Rescue Dog. 1 Jun 2012 12:30 Africa/Lagos Alpha Natural Resources Introduces Ginny, the First Coal Mining Search and Rescue Dog Ginny underscores Alpha Natural Resources' ongoing commitment to safety BRISTOL, Va., June 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Alpha Natural Resources (NYSE: ANR), a leading U.S. coal producer, today introduced Ginny, the first canine specifically trained to perform search and rescue in both underground and surface structures typically found at mining operations, as part of the company's signature safety process, Running Right. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120601/CG16907) Kevin Crutchfield, chairman and CEO of Alpha Natural Resources, said, "We are excited to welcome Ginny to the Alpha Natural Resources family. She is a tremendous new asset for mine search and rescue, both for our company and the industry, and is part of our larger commitment to safety. Ginny also demonstrates our Running Right p
Read more