Flashbacks sequence in I Am Cuba

[F Bulgarelli]

Hello everyone and Happy New Year!

 

Does anyone know how the flashbaks in this film were done.

It seems like they used several techniques, it gives the images a very organic look.

At times it looks like they use water or oil dripping down the lens, in other shots it looks like they put a prism in front of the lens. Anyway, it's very nice.

 

Any help will be greatly appreciated,

 

Francisco

[Mike Williamson]

There's an article on "I Am Cuba" in the July 1995 issue of American Cinematographer which discusses a lot of the different techniques used in the film. If by flashbacks you're thinking of the sequence with the farmer hacking down his sugar cane with a machete, one of the big ingredients is the use of infrared film stock which produces the blackened skies. Also, there are definitely some shots that appear to have probably oil or something viscous running down the lens (probably on a clear glass fliter though!), but I don't remember if the article talks about that specifically.

[F Bulgarelli]

Hi Mike,

 

Yeah. I'm talking about the whole flashback sequence: It shows the couple getting married, the wife dying, him selling his land. Very nicely done. Some of it is slowmo so maybe even water could have done the trick, also at times it looks like they placed a prism or something like that in front of the lens to create difraction.

I'll look up the article.

 

Thanks

 

Francisco