Review: Fresa y chocolate (Directed by Tomás Gutiérrez Alea and Juan Carlos Tabío)
Fresa y chocolate is a 1993 Cuban-Mexican drama/comedy film that is set in 1979, at the height of Cuba's communist revolution. David is a young communist revolutionary who is rejected by his longtime girlfriend, Vivian, for an older man. He meets Diego, who is a gay artist and Republican, while they are both attending university. Soon after, David is recruited by his friend Miguel to spy on Diego and to ultimately turn him in as a political adversary to the communist cause. At first, David is determined to prove himself and to show his devotion to the revolution. But as time passes and he gets to know Diego, he finds his ideals and his perspectives being challenged. Ultimately, David must choose whether he will turn in his newfound friend or support him in starting a new chapter.
This film was one of my first ventures into Cuban and Mexican cinema. Immediately, I was pulled into the story and the struggles that the characters endured. The tale itself is fictional but is based on very real events that were happening in Cuba during the time of the revolution. The story is rooted in the plights of artists, freethinkers, capitalists, LGBT folk, and youth living within Castro's Cuba. Those of us growing up as Americans may be surprised that Diego is both gay and Republican. It's important to remember to approach this with a wider political intelligence and perspective, understanding that the political ideals are unique. For me, watching this film was a chance to pause and thoughtfully engage with the political turmoil and how political identity can be shaped and molded not only by the state but also the people we interact with in our daily lives. For instance, it is telling to see how David sees himself as a devoted revolutionary who denies the existence of a god. Meanwhile, even though he is gay, Diego still firmly believes in a higher power. It is also an opportunity to explore how the personal and the political oftentimes weave and intertwine themselves in our daily lives whether we care to admit it or not.
There is no shying away from depicting the tense dynamics between the two main characters. We can see that Diego initially enters the friendship with the desire to eventually have sex with David. However, it becomes much more profound as their relationship evolves, and what initially started as Diego trying to bed David turns into a profound, authentic friendship between the two men. As David tries to gather intel that would eventually incriminate Diego, he begins to have a change of heart in his position towards homosexuality and those who think differently from him. This evolution even begins to draw suspicion from several of the characters, who begin to wonder if David is a homosexual as well.
This film reminds me of what other LGBT people are experiencing elsewhere. As I am writing this, nations across the globe such as Ghana and Uganda are drafting legislation that targets particular identities with imprisonment. This film is humbling because it shines a light on the struggles of those in oppressive regimes and how they endure as they navigate these hostile spaces. It is also worthwhile seeing the story unfold and recognizing what many Cubans endured as they sought to build new lives in nations such as the United States. Fresa y chocolate is a piece that speaks volumes to our times. While it was a 90's film that was set in the 70's, the themes are timeless and span across borders. In a world where there are so many people fleeing from conflict and persecution, it reminds us to think critically and to be empathetic of those who are escaping atrocities.
One of my favorite quotes from the movie occurs in a dialogue between the two main characters. It serves as a metaphor for sexual preferences, and sums up the nature of what homosexuality actually is and not what many political ideologues make it out to be. It goes:
I couldn’t resist the temptation. I love strawberry! Mmmm.
All over the world, ordinary people are being vilified for their sexuality. We live in an era where we are in a constant push and pull between various ideologies. On one hand, we have those who want to establish an order that benefits certain narrow views of the world. Then we have those whose visions are broader in scope and not always easy to grasp or comprehend. Fresa y chocolate is an invitation for those who are ideologically opposed to one another to open their hearts and minds. They are also challenged to look beyond the fray and to see who hatred actually benefits.
It should be noted that there are elements of sex and sexuality, language, and distressing situations throughout this film. While the film's dialogue is in Spanish, there are some versions with English subtitles. You can watch it on YouTube.
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