Cuban special municipality hosts International Film and Environment Festival

 HAVANA, Cuba, Apr 7 (ACN) The 3rd International Caribbean Film and Environment Festival Isla Verde (Green Island), the only one of its kind in the region, was opened on Isle of Youth with the Cuban premiere of the animated documentary Mariposas negras (Black Butterflies), winner of the Goya Award for Best Animated Film 2025.

Juventud Rebelde newspaper reported that the feature film, inspired by true stories, tells the experiences of three women who have had to emigrate due to the climate crisis.

During an hour and 23 minutes, director David Baute presents Valeria, Tanit and Shaila in an uncertain journey towards the future, starting from a present damaged by the effects of climate change.

Among other novelties of the event -with Spain as guest of honor- is the inclusion of a new category for the event, called Films in Progress, dedicated to projects under development.

Until April 12, the Festival will not only include a program of film screenings, but also a series of actions that will contribute to a call for action to understand that cinema can transform lives and protect the planet, a current urgency in the face of environmental challenges, especially for island nations like Cuba.

This Festival presented the special Isla Verde awards to outstanding actors in environmental conservation in Cuba.

The Flora and Fauna Business Group of the Ministry of Agriculture was recognized for its more than four decades dedicated to the management of 2.5 million hectares and 93 protected areas.

The Jardines de la Reina National Park, a model of sustainability with 15 years of impact, received the same recognition. This marine sanctuary, home to more than 280 species of fish, seeks to be declared a natural heritage site of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The third of these awards was posthumously awarded to Jorge Ramon Cuevas (1941-2000), an outstanding ecologist, and was received on his behalf by PhD. Fidel Vera, delegate of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, who will pass it on to his family members.
The opening event featured artistic and cinematographic exhibitions that highlighted the link between art and environmental awareness.

From April 6 to 12, Isle of Youth is hosting this festival, with 38 works selected in competition from 24 countries in Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa, a fact that reaffirms the cultural and ecological commitment of the Caribbean.

Under the leadership of Jorge Perugorria, winner of the 2024 National Film Award and a leading figure in Cuban art, the festival is supported by the Transcultura program, implemented by UNESCO and financed by the European Union.