Birthright?!
by Cuci Amador
Birthright?!
by Cuci Amador
Cuci Amador
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We are all asking ourselves what it means to be an American these days. Support this project to see the true story of Miami's favorite electro-funk duo, Afrobeta on their journey to the country of their hyphenated American origin.
We are all asking ourselves what it means to be an American these days. Support this project to see the true story of Miami's favorite electro-funk duo, Afrobeta on their journey to the country of their hyphenated American origin.
Participating In
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Story
Inclusion Statement
Made by female filmmakers, Jayme Gershen and Cristina Garcia, this film explores identity in the political divide between Cuba and the United States. Represented voices include Cuban exiles from different periods of migration, Cuban-American millennials and Cubans who stayed on the island.About The Project
Birthright?! is the story of Cuban-American electro-pop musicians, Afrobeta and their first trip to Cuba.
The husband and wife duo, whose parents fled the Communist regime of the island in the 50s, have decided to visit the island and lift the veil on a part of their identity shrouded in mystery.
Obama, Kimye and Chanel’s visit to Cuba have given Americans a limited perspective of the reality of Cuban life. In the film, Afrobeta is invited to play a show in Cuba. They meet their Cuban doppelgängers and have an impromptu jam session in the streets. The joyous moments of connecting with locals are bittersweet as Afrobeta is forced to confront the reality of their parents’ troubled emotional past.
Afrobeta meeting the underground gems of the Cuban music scene. I.A., who played with Major Lazer in Cuba and Joyvan, DJ to the stars, who spun at Mick Jagger's private family jam after The Rolling Stones show in Cuba in May.
Ultimately, Afrobeta faces the truth of what 58 years of Communism has done to Cuba and sees the hope for the future in the eyes of the Cuban people.
We met him walking in Habana vieja, wearing the school uniform of the revolution.
Why we need your help:
We need to hire a team to edit and package this project so we can share it with the world. This is a unique story with timeless themes but the political climate and development of the island is quickly shifting under our feet. We'd like to get this story to you while it's still fresh.
Cuci bonding with the women who live on the block of her mom's childhood home. They remembered her family and welcomed her with open arms.
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Current Team
About This Team
Jayme Gershen: @jaymegershJayme Gershen is a Multimedia Storyteller focused on identity through the use of photo, video, and interactive media. She uses humor and intimacy to tell stories about second chances and to explore a sense of place. As a photographer, Jayme works with a variety of publications including Vanity Fair, Bloomberg, The New Yorker, CNN, AL Jazeera, Buzzfeed and The Wall Street Journal. She also creates commercial content for companies like FPL, Dunkin Donuts, Turtle Wax, AARP, and Planned Parenthood. As a filmmaker, Jayme is currently working on several short film projects ranging from environmental issues and solutions in Puerto Rico post-Hurricane Maria, gun violence stories from underserved communities in Miami, as well as a series of stories that challenge perception of what immigration looks like.
Eddie Garcia-Rivera: @zmanbarzel
Eddie is a born adventurer and visual artist. A journey through his Instagram will take you to the most picturesque locations around the world and his Youtube channel will get you in the front row of your favorite band’s show.
Michel Matos is a Cuban director who worked as our producer in Cuba and his compassion and heart made this project possible. He founded Rotilla, the first electronic music festival in Cuba which ran for 10 years before the government seized it. We met him in 2013 in Miami during the screening of his film, "Ni Rojo, Ni Verde, Azul", which chronicles the story of the festival.
Behind the scenes in Cuci's mom's neighborhood with Yasser, our Cuban sound person, and Eddie, our DP.
Mariana Mendoza is Cuci's best friend and frequent collaborator. They make art and trouble together. She is a multi-media visual artist famous for her work with watercolor & digital design. We are lucky to have her as the Art Director for the film. She is also the designer of "Cómo Fue" the digital zine of memories from our journey.
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