Students in Dr. Zeila Frade’s Spanish 5: Cuban Culture class got a real slice of Cuban culture. First, students watched the award-winning film “Habanastation” by Cuban director Ian Padrón. The film captures a day in the life of two young Cubans from different socioeconomic backgrounds. With glimpses of Cuban food, music, dance, sports, and society, Stevenson students got a sense of what life could be like in Havana, Cuba.
Then, days later, Dr. Zeila Frade set up a virtual Q&A session with none other than Ian Padrón, the director of the movie. Dr. Frade coordinated this Q&A so students could dive deeper into the movie’s themes, characters, and overall message. Students asked deep questions that even the director emotionally admitted, “No one has ever asked me questions like these about my movie.” Of course, all of this was conducted in Spanish which is a testament to the level of cultural connection these students made.
It was a fantastic experience for all students. Many thanks to Dr. Frade for creating this opportunity and thanks to Mr. Padrón for allowing students to immerse themselves in his movie and Cuban culture.
