Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
This revealing portrait of Cuba follows the lives of Fidel Castro and three Cuban families affected by his policies over the last four decades.
Cuba and the Cameraman is a remarkable longitudinal documentary by Jon Alpert, who filmed in Cuba over four decades starting in the 1970s. Its cinematography is exceptional — the intimate, verité footage accumulated over 45 years creates a uniquely textured visual record rarely achieved in documentary filmmaking. The novelty is undeniable: the sheer span of time, the rare access to Castro himself, and the interwoven portraits of ordinary Cuban families give it a singular quality. Acting is not really applicable in a traditional sense for a documentary, rated low accordingly. The plot — structured around revisiting the same families — is compelling but somewhat loosely assembled, and the ending, while emotionally resonant given Castro's death, feels slightly unfocused in wrapping up the many threads Alpert has followed.