Thursday, October 14
Frick Fine Arts Auditorium : 6:30pm
Roble de Olor / Scent of oak (Dir. Rigoberto López, 2002)
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SCENT OF OAK / ROBLE DE OLOR is inspired by real persons, a mixed couple who in the 1800's in Cuba, set up one of the most important café plantations on the Island - Cornelio Souchay, an idealistic German businessman, portrayed by popular actor Jorge Perugorria, and Ursula Lambert (Lia Chapman), a Creole from the Island of Hispanola, later divided up into Haiti and Dominican Republic, as an independent textile shop merchant.
Their fates cross paths when Souchay spots her around town, finding out where she works and then purchases some cloth in her store. It is clear from first glance, that he is strongly besotted with the pround and elegant Lambert, pursuing her around the colonial city until she succumbs to his genteel courtship and 'old world'charm.
Their fates cross paths when Souchay spots her around town, finding out where she works and then purchases some cloth in her store. It is clear from first glance, that he is strongly besotted with the pround and elegant Lambert, pursuing her around the colonial city until she succumbs to his genteel courtship and 'old world'charm.
The street-wise Ursula coaches him into staking their (promising) luck on the lucrative coffee trade and establishing a plantation named Angerona, after a pantheistic divinity she believes in (although she frequents the Catholic institutions at hand, as well). Their premise is to create a sort of utopia farm where black workers and slaves are treated with respect and encouraged to cultivate themselves by forming an classical orchestra proficient in Hayden, Mozart and the great European composers. In the way it is run, the observance of humane principles by Cornelio Souchay and Ursula who physically pitch in with the work at all stages too, the endeavour blossoms into a successful and happy venture for all, where the blacks are given hope for the future. But envy and greed arouses in power figures of the local council and neighbours due to the unconvential nature of the project and soon runs afoul with local farmers, Spanish bureaucrats and even members of Souchay's own family - an unsufferably snobbish blonde female cousin visiting from Germany, who turns out to be the worst imaginable pest, all betraying his friendship, hospitality and all out for his and Ursula's hide.
After a career of documentary filmmaking, "Scent of an Oak" is Lopez Pego's first feature film - on the line of the historical Cuban blockbuster with a strong political message : intolerance of cultural differences and racism.
This theme of
Amigos del Cine Latinoamericano Fall 2010 Film Series
Cuban Eyes/ Cubanize:
Fifty Years of Cuban Cinema since the Cuban Revolution
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Most films will be presented on Wednesdays or Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. at the Frick Fine Arts Auditorium
As usual, we will give a short introduction of the film and after the presentation you are welcome to stay for a discussion.
Some films are adult in nature and may not be appropriate for young audiences.
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