Hello listeners, I'm Martina Castro and I don't know about you but I've been loving Duo's film club the newest season of the Duolingo Spanish Podcast. Today we'll dive into the final episode of the series. All season we've been exploring some of the most iconic Spanish language films and whether you've seen them or not you're going to learn what makes these movies so special.
The signature by Lingo Format. I'll be honest, I hadn't seen this movie, Fresa y chocolate in ages but I rewatched it for our film club and it's definitely different from the other movies in this season. It's got a different pace and a different vibe but it's a true gem of Cuban culture. You might have heard of it because Fresa y chocolate is one of the most well-known Cuban films around the world and it's the only Cuban film that's ever been nominated for an Oscar.
Hey, hey, it's my day of luck, I find wonderful movies. It's a movie about love but about love in general. Amar a otra persona que tiene otras opiniones, otra actitud en la vida, otras ideas y otra sexualidad. I'm very happy to welcome Ariana Landa Buro, our special guest for today's episode. She's originally from Cuba and studied art history at La Universidad de la Habana.
Like for us, she's a huge fan of this movie and she's going to share how it inspired filmmakers and viewers around the world. So you know what to do next, grab some popcorn and get comfy because we're about to learn so much about this groundbreaking film. Please keep in mind that Fresa y chocolate is rated R but our episode today is suitable for listeners of all ages. Before we talk about what makes this movie so special, let's review some essential Cuban history.
The movie takes place in Havana, Cuba or La Habana in the late 1970s, about 20 years after Fidel Castro took power in the Cuban Revolution or La Revolución. It's important to remember Fresa y chocolate was funded by the state and had to be approved. So it only reveals aspects of Cuban life that the regime allowed to be highlighted. It didn't touch issues that Cuban authorities have been reluctant to acknowledge like racial discrimination. Here's Ariana.
La Revolución Cubana comenzó en 1959 para destruir el gobierno del dictador Fulgencio Batista. Desde ese momento hubo muchos cambios en todo el país. La historia de Fresa y chocolate ocurre a finales de 1970. En este period los efectos de la Revolución se sentía mucho en la sociedad Cuban. Many people in Cuba embraced the Revolution. It's socialist ideals and policies, but others faced discrimination and were marginalized because they didn't completely follow the regime's policy.
Which, to be clear, were very homophobic. And we see that reflected in the two protagonists of Fresa y chocolate. First we meet David, a young university student who's passionate about the Revolution. Then there's Diego. He's a middle-aged gay artist. And he's frustrated by the regime's censorship of the arts and persecution of the LGBTQ community.
The Diego's character is incredible. He's an intellectual gay who loves culture of his country because he knows very well that Cuba is not just the Revolution. But he's also a revolutionary because he thinks art can change things. And David is a young man who wants to be a writer, but his revolutionary mission is stronger than him. He's a young man who's a communist party and heterosexual. They're basically polar opposites.
Then by chance the two men meet at an ice cream shop. But after David learns that Diego's gay, he decides to spy on him. Because, again, David is part of the communist party, partido comunista. And he really believes in the Revolution's ideals. The new government saw homosexuality as dangerous. So David feels it's his duty to report him. But after spending time together, an interesting dynamic develops between these two main characters.
During the whole movie, the tension between Diego's desire and David's resistance is seen. Now that we've covered the basic plot, let's explore why this film is so treasured. One reason is that it shows everyday life in Cuba in the 1970s, like the scene in the ice cream shop or the David and Diego meet. It's called Coppelia, and Ariana tells us it's one of her favorite spots in the abana. Coppelia is very important in the abana. It's a incredible place. It's an enormous woodland.
The building is wonderful and it's special. In Cuba, it's very hot and the sides are fresh. That was the biggest woodland in Cuba. So people spent hours waiting to buy their own. We also hear local music on the streets, the characters walk along the water in the abana, and we see the city's gorgeous architecture at Diego's apartment. The old abana architecture is one of the most extraordinary of all of America. Diego's apartment is in a historical building, with high and beautiful hotels.
Its house is also characteristic of Cuban culture. Diego has many important objects of Cuban literature. Like photos from Josele Samalim, the famous Cuban writer. I love all these details. There's so much culture to explore. But what makes Frésse Chocolates such a brave film is the friendship between David and Diego. The director Tomás Jutierresalea reveals in a very powerful way how difficult it was for gay people in Cuba to be accepted.
Ariana explains that freedom for the LGBTQ community was severely limited on the island until the 2000s. Until the end of the 70s, the revolution was a reality. And although I was able to progress, I still believe that a taboo issue was still in society. When Frésse Chocolates was released in 1993, the idea of acceptance was still revolutionary in Cuba and around the world, which was grappling with the AIDS crisis. But this movie broke that silence in a significant way.
It spread a message of support for the LGBTQ community in Cuba and beyond, inspiring other filmmakers to tackle social issues in their films. The importance of the film is large because it was one of the first to talk about homosexuality. After that movie, they started to make documentaries and other films about these topics. It was a gun. I saw this movie in the 2000s, 10 years after its premiere, and it was the first time a Cuban movie was seen about homosexuality.
When I saw it, I started studying arts in the university. It was impressive for me. I remember that I will cry a lot, a lot because it is a very beautiful story. Now let's get to a scene from the movie for an extra learning moment in our segment, Bonnet Play, or Press Play, so you can deepen your cultural understanding.
For today, we picked one of the opening moments of the movie because it explains the title, Fréza et Chocolate, and you're going to get some extra practice listening to the Cuban accent. Are you ready? Here we go. Comparment, you can't resist the temptation. I love the Teresa. We see the busy ice cream shop, Copelia, and Diego takes a seat at David's table. They're strangers, but Diego wants to try and pick up the handsome student.
David is clearly uncomfortable, as Diego begins to eat his strawberry ice cream. Diego makes a joke about the government exporting the good ice cream and keeping a watery version for Cubans. He keeps chatting, but when David glances at the artist's books, Diego turns the conversation to authors. He even mentions some writers who were banned in Cuba. That's when David reveals his red ID card for the Communist Party, moving it from one shirt pocket to another.
It's a sign that the young revolutionary could denounce Diego for having these books. Diego responds with this comment. Diego is clearly stirring the pot. He knows his books are banned, and he mocks David because he follows the rules of la Jove en Tooth, the youth league of Cuba's Communist Party. But that doesn't stop the two from becoming friends later. One thing that stands out to me is how the scene sets up the movies title. Here's Diana's explanation of the scene.
Fresy Chocolate is a metaphor of the characters and their relationship. The Chocolate represents the masculine side and heterosexual side. And Fresy represents the homosexual side and feminine side. It's a title that represents the personalities and the lifestyle of the protagonists. They are very different, but they have a deep relationship.
If you've been listening to Do-O's Film Club and you know what comes next, we have some datal scuriosos that we think will give you some extra inspiration and behind the scenes trivia about the movie. I'm excited to share the fun facts Diana has for us. Here we go, fun fact number one. The actor who played Diego, Jorge Perogorria portrayed a sophisticated and cultured artist. But off screen, Perogorria was living a very different reality.
In the early 1990s, when the film was made, there was an economic crisis in Cuba. So like many other people, the actor went to great lengths to feed his family. And this had an impact on screen. The crisis of the food in Cuba was horrible. So the families decided to create animals in their houses or apartments. Perogorria had a lot of them in her house. And there is a story that happened during the film's trip. Maybe you don't know, but Perogorria also says it in Pitchie.
One day, Pitchie came to the set with the hands destroyed. Like a person who works in the field. So the actor said to him, Pitchie, what did you do? It seems like a field worker. But your character is a delicate person. Fun fact number two is about how the film was received by everyday people in Cuba during the country's annual film festival. It drew a lot of attention. And when it was released abroad in the US, it became a box office head. The film's premiere in the film's film was impressive.
When the lights were lit, many people were crying in the room. People applauded very hard during 10 minutes. It was a very commotic film. And now, Fun Fact number three. We mentioned earlier that most of the movie takes place in Diego's apartment. It's inside a magnificent building with marble floors and tall ceilings. Well, it turns out that the movie made Diego's guarida or den so famous that tourists wanted to visit. The owner of the house decided to transform it into a restaurant.
And now it's called Paladar La guarida. Many tourists came to the film and wanted to visit it. But not only tourists, I also went there. And I took a picture with Rocco, Diego's fridge. In the restaurant, there are still objects that we see in the film. Ah! And the food is delicious. There, as a fish, very delicious. Okay, that was our last official Fun Fact. But we have one more for those who've seen the movie. Because... It's a spoiler.
So if you haven't watched Fidesza y Chocolata yad, come back when you've seen it or skip ahead to the end. All right, here it is. Near the end of the movie, Diego makes a desperate choice. After being blacklisted by the government, he decides to leave the island. And what is likely their last time seeing each other. The two friends have ice cream one more time. But get this. Now it's David, the young, straight revolutionary, who chooses the strawberry ice cream.
It's a moment that brings us back full circle to the opening of the film. And it shows that Fidesza y Chocolata is more than just a clever title. Ariana explains how it's a symbol for their friendship and the film's central message. At the end of the movie, when his relationship is stronger, David and Diego return to Coppelia. But this time David chooses the strawberry ice cream. The beginning of the movie is very different. Because Diego and David are not comfortable.
But at the end we can see that they are excellent friends. I think that is the true message of the film. The strength of diversity and respect. What a powerful message to conclude this episode. And the special season of the Duolingo Spanish podcast Duos Film Club. Thank you to our guest, Adriana Landaguro. She's currently living in Mexico City and works as a TV and film producer. Ciao, nos vemos. And that's a wrap on Duos Film Club. We'd love to know what you thought of this series.
You can write us an email at podcastatduolingo.com or send us an audio message on WhatsApp at plus 1-703-953-9369. And don't forget to say your name and where you're from. If you liked this episode, please share it. You can find the audio and a transcript at podcastatduolingo.com. You can also follow us on Apple podcasts or on your favorite listening app, so you never miss an episode.
With over 500 million users, Duolingo is a world's leading language learning platform and the most downloaded education app in the world. Duolingo believes in making education free, fun, and available to everyone. To join, download the app today or find out more at duolingo.com. The Duolingo Spanish podcast is produced by Duolingo and Adon de Media. Our managing editor is David Alandete. Our senior editor is Laura Isancy.
The season was produced by Thalik Goldman and special thanks to all of our guests. We had conversations with Ana Laura Pérez, Paola Greenspan, Mauricio Garcia, David Bernal, and Ariana Landaguro. Our sound designers were Mariano Pachella, Mauricio Mendoza, and Andrés Fescenholz. Andrés was also our assistant producer. Our mixing and mastering engineer was Daniel Murcia. Luis Gil was our mixed supervisor. Our production manager was Roman Frontini, and our production coordinator was Nicolas Sosa.
Special thanks to Lorena Galiot and Giovana Romano Sanchez for fact-checking. Duolingo's story editing and Spanish language support were provided by Alexa Fernandez. Laura May Comber, Lorena Kanski, Maria Mandeli, Gina Rovido Sattrujillo, Paola Canión, and Maria Abascal. Special thanks to Tim Shey. I'm the executive producer and your host, Martina Castro. Thank you for listening.