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Stars:
Johnny Depp,
Heather Graham,
Ian Holm,
Robbie Coltrane,
Ian Richardson,
Jason Flemyng,
Susan Lynch,
Winona Ryder,
Dianne West,
Anthony Michael Hall,
Kathy Baker,
Vincent Price,
Alan Arkin,
Javier Bardem,
Olivier Martinez,
Andrea Di Stefano,
Sean Penn,
Najwa Nimri,
Michael Wincott,
Hector Babenco
Director:
Allen Hughes
Summary: Three features. 'From Hell', 'Edward Scissorhands' and 'Before Night Falls' which chronicles the life of Reinaldo Arenas, an exiled Cuban homosexual writer, adapted from his own memoirs, and directed by Julian Schnabel ('Basquiat'). Javier Bardem (in an Oscar-nominated performance) portrays Arenas as he journeys from poverty to university to the sexual revolution and homosexual subculture in Havana to persecution and imprisonment under the policies of Fidel Castro for being both gay and a writer. Despite the harsh conditions of prison, the courageous Arenas continued not only to write but also to publish his works abroad. Ultimately, he was allowed to leave Cuba for America, but there he faced new struggles as a man without a country battling AIDS. Schnabel's beautifully filmed sophomore directorial effort captures the essence of Cuba during the revolution. Johnny Depp is featured in the dual supporting roles of the cross-dressing prison inmate, Bon Bon, and the brutal officer, Lieutenant Victor. A well-disguised Sean Penn appears as Cuco Sanchez. Olivier Martinez as Lazaro Gomez Carillo and Andrea Di Stefano as Pepe Malas deliver standout performances. The film received accolades at the 2000 Venice and Toronto Film Festivals.
Three features. 'From Hell', 'Edward Scissorhands' and 'Before Night Falls' which chronicles the life of Reinaldo Arenas, an exiled Cuban homosexual writer, adapted from his own memoirs, and directed by Julian Schnabel ('Basquiat'). Javier Bardem (in an Oscar-nominated performance) portrays Arenas as he journeys from poverty to university to the sexual revolution and homosexual subculture in Havana to persecution and imprisonment under the policies of Fidel Castro for being both gay and a writer. Despite the harsh conditions of prison, the courageous Arenas continued not only to write but also to publish his works abroad. Ultimately, he was allowed to leave Cuba for America, but there he faced new struggles as a man without a country battling AIDS. Schnabel's beautifully filmed sophomore directorial effort captures the essence of Cuba during the revolution. Johnny Depp is featured in the dual supporting roles of the cross-dressing prison inmate, Bon Bon, and the brutal officer, Lieutenant Victor. A well-disguised Sean Penn appears as Cuco Sanchez. Olivier Martinez as Lazaro Gomez Carillo and Andrea Di Stefano as Pepe Malas deliver standout performances. The film received accolades at the 2000 Venice and Toronto Film Festivals.