Friday, October 30, 2015

Margaret Randall's "Haydée Santamaría, Cuban Revolutionary"

Margaret Randall is the author of dozens of books of poetry and prose, including Che on My Mind, and the translator of When Rains Became Floods: A Child Soldier's Story.

Here Randall dreamcasts an adaptation of her new book, Haydée Santamaría, Cuban Revolutionary: She Led by Transgression:
As Haydée Santamaría, Cuban Revolutionary is about a real person, and I knew her in life, I had only her--powerfully her--in mind when I wrote it. My aim was to bring her to life in its pages. Because Haydée's life was spectacularly imaginative and daring, though, I think it would make a terrific film. For several reasons, I think of Nicole Kidman in the lead role: she could play the young and aging Haydée equally convincingly, her emotional range is broad and deep, and I think her brilliance would find some interesting challenges.

To direct the film? I'm not so sure. My favorite directors have long since passed into film history. Perhaps it would be most appropriate for a Cuban filmmaker, particularly a woman (of whom there are very few). Several names comes to mind: Rebeca Chávez, Belkis Vega... Since the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States in December, 2014, it might be interesting for this to be among the first US/Cuban co-productions (well, Cuban/International, since Kidman is Australian).
Visit Margaret Randall's website.

--Marshal Zeringue