Written, directed and produced by filmmaker Jhonny Hendrix Hinestroza, Candelaria has now wrapped up two months in theaters in France and spent one month on the silver screen in Argentina.
Candelaria is set in Cuba in the 1990s and depicts a world rocked by change while Cuba spirals downward amidst embargoes, hunger, tobacco and rum. Set against this backdrop, the lives of Candelaria (64) and Víctor Hugo (63)—a couple that remains together primarily out of habit—are turned upside down when they discover a video camera in a hotel. This foreign object compels them to see, feel and love one another once again. Their unexpected happiness is only the sweet beginning of the end in this tragicomedy that moves to the rhythm of Cuban son.
This is the third feature film directed by Jhonny Hendrix Hinestroza. It premiered commercially in theaters in France on April 4th thanks to Sophie Dulac Distribution, a French company focused on auteur film that boasts over 100 films in its catalogue including those by directors like Bela Tarr, Frederick Wiseman, Alexandre Sokourov, Jacques Doillon and Theo Angelopoulos. Its Argentinian premiere on April 12th was thanks to distribution by Cine Tren, a company that also provides sales and consulting services for national and international independent films and that has premiered an average of 20 films per year since its creation in 2011. The company also provides training and consulting for events and companies including the Mar del Plata International Film Festival, BAFICI, Ventana Sur and DAC.
Candelaria was produced thanks to a grant from the Film Development Fund of Colombia (FDC) in 2015 and support from the World Cinema Fund (Germany), Sorfond (Norway) and the Argentinian fund INCAA. During its international festival run it won the GdA award for best director at the 14th Giornate degli Autori (Venice Days), the audience award La Dépêche du Midi at the Latin American Film Festival of Toulouse, the audience award at the Minsk Film Festival (Belarus) and a Special Jury Award at the Kerala Festival (India). It has also been screened at the Miami Film Festival and the International Film Festival of Panama. It was the opening film at the 24th ¡Viva! Spanish & Latin American Festival in Manchester (UK) and will soon be shown at the International Film Festival of Transylvania (TIFF) in Romania.
Playing the leading roles in Candelaria are Verónica Lynn as Candelaria, Alden Knight as Víctor Hugo and Manuel Viveros as El Negro. Lynn is a renowned Cuban actor who has built a career in her home country on the stage, radio, television and silver screen, winning her more than 13 awards for her work including the Actuar Life Achievement Award from the Actuar Agency of Performing Arts in 2016. Knight has worked on over a hundred productions including the films Black Island (Lejos de África, 1996); Woman, Man, City (Una mujer, un hombre, una ciudad, 1978); The Other Francisco (El otro Francisco, 1975); El bautizo (1968) and The Other Christopher (El otro Cristóbal, 1963). Representing Colombia in this film is Manuel Viveros, recognized for his acting in productions like Collar de Perlas, 180 Seconds (180 Segundos), Escobar el patrón del mal, La Selección, Que viva la música and Dirty Hands (Manos Sucias).
