I am Cuba (1964) DVD

Commissioned as propaganda, I Am Cuba's extravagant scale and imaginative vision raised the ire of its Soviet backers as well as scorn from its intended Cuban audience. This epic paean to socialism became legendary upon its re-discovery in the West. Its four episodes chronicle Cuba's ascent from colonialist degradation and totalitarian rule to a revolutionary initiative that spreads across the country's class and regional lines. Dramatically poignant in its chronicle of the underbelly of Havana's nightlife and exciting and tense in its war scenes, I Am Cuba defies all categories and genres to form a unique hybrid of newsreel and grand epic.

Mr. Bongo's two-disc edition presents I Am Cuba in its restored print along with an appraisal by Martin Scorsese. It also includes Vincente Ferraz's SIBERIAN MAMMOTH which explores the film's production, detailing the collective effort behind its notoriously elaborate camera set-ups. It also outlines the film's political context and profiles the collaboration between director Mikhail Kalatozov and cinematographer Sergei Urusevsky.