BALSEROS

In 1994, the situation in Cuba is bad. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the economy has collapsed and the Cubans' living standard is steadily declining. Many of them try to flee to the United States, trying to reach the other side on self-made rafts. A dangerous undertaking This film tells the story of some of these balseros (rafters), of those who reached the land of their dreams. The filmmaker follows his protagonists for five years. Being able to travel freely between Cuba and the United States, he takes his video footage to family and friends, to show them how the stay-behinds or the emigrants are faring. Life in the US is tough on most Cubans; it is hard to find a job and a house, especially for those who can hardly speak any English. The price of freedom is very high; one woman soon lands in the drug trade and another one sighs that on Cuba she could at least go to the beach. A man leaves his wife and child behind on Cuba, but is reunited with them after years; other young families are permanently separated. These are poignant stories, in which hope and expectations often vanish and many a refugee is confronted with disappointment and serious problems.