Miami, December 16, 2025 — The Cuban Cinema Series, presented by Miami Dade College’s (MDC) Miami Film Festival, presents La Otra Cuba (The Other Cuba, 1983), marking 40 years since the documentary first screened at the 2nd Miami Film Festival in 1985. Directed by Orlando Jiménez Leal, a key figure in independent exile cinematography, the film will be shown on Friday, January 23, 2026, at 7 p.m. at the Koubek Center.
Presented exclusively in Spanish, the screening is free and open to the public with RSVP required. The event will be followed by a Q&A with the film’s director.
Regarding the motivation behind the film, Jiménez Leal has explained that he sought to show that there was “another Cuba outside of Cuba, one that did not correspond to the ridiculous stereotypes that existed, and that the Castro regime continues to create about the exiles.”
More than four decades later, the documentary’s relevance remains striking. Jiménez Leal once again demonstrates his unique talent for weaving timeless stories about the Cuban experience, employing the full range of ingenuity and expressive resources the documentary genre offers.
The Other Cuba stands among the earliest works of the Cuban diaspora devoted to reconstructing the memory of exile—a chronicle of an unnatural regime that shaped the lives of several generations. Upon its Miami premiere, the late film critic Bill Cosford wrote: “The Other Cuba is the most effective film to date on the tragedy of the Cuban revolution.”
The documentary offers a rare opportunity to see and hear influential Cuban cultural and political figures, including Lydia Cabrera, Enrique Labrador Ruiz, Carlos Alberto Montaner, Reinaldo Arenas, Eloísa Lezama Lima, Carlos Franqui, Guillermo Cabrera Infante, and Huber Matos, among many others.
Orlando Jiménez Leal is also the director of seminal works such as PM, El Súper (co-directed with León Ichaso), Improper Conduct (co-directed with Néstor Almendros), and 8-A.
WHAT: Miami Film Festival’s Cuban Cinema Series Presents La Otra Cuba
WHEN: Friday, January 23, 2026, at 7 p.m.
RSVP for free tickets: miamifilmfestival.com/cuban-cinema-series
Download the film’s key images
WHERE: Koubek Center, 2705 SW 3rd St. Free parking available
About the Cuban Cinema Series
Founded and directed in 1993 by renowned film critic and author Alejandro Ríos, the Cuban Cinema Series celebrates the vibrant and diverse world of Cuban cinema. Presented by MDC’s Miami Film Festival at the Koubek Center, the series features free screenings throughout the year, offering the public an exclusive opportunity to experience the richness of Cuban filmmaking. Special screenings are accompanied by appearances from filmmakers and talent, making the program a unique and engaging cultural event. The Cuban Cinema Series receives support from ArtesMiami.