The Man Of Two Havanas
Vivien Lesnik’s childhood was anything but ordinary. Born in Havana, Vivien came to Miami as a girl. In America, bombings, death threats and drive-by shootings were a daily occurrence at Vivien’s new home. The catalyst for this violence was Vivien’s father, Max. A friend and comrade of Fidel Castro, Max Lesnik left Cuba after ideological differences put distance between him and Castro’s government.
In Miami, Max Lesnik opposed both the Cuban regime and U.S. Cuba policy. In print and on the radio, he advocated open debate and, in time, dialogue and reconciliation with Cuba. Max Lesnik defied the political orthodoxies of Miami’s Cuban exile community and found himself, his family and his little girl at the storm center of Cuban exile politics.
Vivien Lesnik grew up to become filmmaker Vivien Lesnik Weisman. The Man of Two Havanas is her controversial and poignant exploration of her father’s fascinating story and her quest to understand her roots, her family, and the social and political currents that swirled around them.
After the World Premiere of The Man of Two Havanas packed houses at the prestigious 2007 Tribeca Film Festival in New York City, Lesnik Weisman’s documentary found enthusiastic audiences across America and picked up a number of awards.
But until now the filmmaker has not has not been able to arrange a screening in Miami, Vivien Lesnik Weisman’s tumultuous childhood home…The city where the film’s events took place.
During the making of The Man of Two Havanas the Wolfson Archives helped Lesnik Weisman tell her story, searching our collections and uncovering a wealth of archival footage which the filmmaker uses to document the events in her film.
For us screening the film is one way to increase public awareness of the value and fascination of historic film and video.
“We are always pleased to show films that make use of the invaluable historical resource that we have here at the Wolfson Archives, especially one like this that challenges us to revisit the past and deepen our understanding of the world around us,” says Donald Chauncey, Director of the Wolfson Archives. The screening is presented in cooperation with the Greater Miami Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida.
The Lynn & Louis Wolfson II Florida Moving Image Archive will present the Miami Premiere of The Man of Two Havanas at 7:30 pm on Saturday, September 20 at the Colony Theatre, located at 1040 Lincoln Road on Miami Beach. A discussion with filmmaker Vivien Lesnik Weisman will follow the screening.
Tickets are $10 for general admission and may be purchased at the screening or in advance through Ticketmaster — in person at Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at 305-358-5885 or 954-523-3309, or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Service charges apply.
Tickets may also be purchased in advance at the Colony Theatre Box Office, located at 1040 Lincoln Road. The Box Office is open from noon to 5:00 pm Tuesday through Saturday.
