Sara Gómez

Photo: AfroCubaWeb

Photo: AfroCubaWeb

 

Country: Cuba

Location: Guanabacoa, La Habana Province, Cuba

ABOUT

Sara Gómez (November 8, 1942 – June 2, 1974) was an Afro-Cuban filmmaker. Gomez was a member of the The Instituto Cubano del Arte e Industria Cinematográficos (ICAIC) (Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry). Gomez was the first woman filmmaker of ICAIC and in Cuba.

Biography by Jaedyn Griddine

Image of Sara Gómez. Retrieved from “Mujeres emergentes en el cine político latinoamericano: los cortometrajes de Sara Gómez” (2014) by Silvana Flores.

Sara Gómez came from a uniquely privileged background for her time; she was raised in a middle-class family, surrounded by relatives who were educated and held careers in the arts. She was also raised by mostly women--her grandmother and four aunts--who surely helped shape her nito the revolutionary feminist we recognize her as today. Despite her privilege, Gómez was cognizant of the marginalization that Black Cubans, Black women specifically, suffered in her area, Guanabacoa, a colonial town with a rich history of Santería.

Though her life was tragically short, Gómez managed to accomplish so much during her early adulthood. She began her career as a writer for Mella, a youth magazine, and Noticias de Hoy, a newspaper for the Communist Party. This later led her to her pivotal position at the Instituto Cubano Del Arte e Industria Cinematográficos (ICAIC) (est. 1959), where she was also only one of two Black filmmakers during its first few years and the first woman director both at the ICAIC and in all of Cuba. As a director, she created thoughtful, critical, hauntingly beautiful short films that encapsulated Cuban society post-revolution, highlighting issues of colonialism, racism and classism, especially as they pertained to the lives of Black women. These films were documentary style, ranging from around 5 minutes to a little over 15 minutes. She also created one full-length, partially scripted film De Cierta Manera (One Way or Another) (1977) which shed further light onto poor post-revolution communities; unfortunately, she didn’t live long enough to see the completion of this film.

Gómez took risks with every film she released; Fidel Castro’s administration was marked by heavy censorship of critical art and media, and Gómez, along with her colleagues, personally came under fire from state officials for their work. Her films showed an immense love and pride in her culture, her country, and in the revolution, yet she dared to critique Cuban society on its shortcomings: Mi Aporte (1972) recognized the newfound freedom to speak on gender issues and criticized the difficulty women faced in entering the workforce alongside men; Una Isla Para Miguel (1968) shows a beautiful narrative of a young man and shed light on youth reform camps. Gómez’s love for her country is exemplified in her brave critiques, as they show her belief in a progressive future where Black and mulato Cubans are truly recognized and celebrated. She defied the heavily-pushed notion that post-revolution Cuba was post-racial, she paid homage to her cultural roots and her famly, she put in the work to make her country better. She stands as a reminder to us that there is always work to be done, especially work to uplift and empower Black voices. Many of Gómez’s films are viewable for free here.

Sources:

GRAPHICS TO SHARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA: SARA GÓMEZ

Afro-Cuban Women's Activi, Women's Rights, Film, CaribbeanKeshia White