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Cuban Rafters

Play trailer Poster for Cuban Rafters 2003 2h 0m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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88% Tomatometer 24 Reviews 84% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
A public television crew joined Cuban nationals in 1994 for this insightful documentary about their harrowing escape on a raft, their incarceration at the U.S. base in Guantanamo Bay and their transition to life in the United States. When the rafters, known as "balseros," finally arrived in the U.S., they spread out to a string of cities. Seven years later, the filmmakers reconnected with their subjects to see what progress they had made in their pursuit of the American Dream.
Cuban Rafters

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Patient and persuasive in its approach, Balseros puts a human face on the struggle to survive in 21st century Cuba -- and the dangerous battle to find a better life elsewhere.

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Critics Reviews

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Bill Stamets Chicago Reader 03/18/2010
Despite the heroic exertions of the rafters and filmmakers, this apolitical film is oddly lacking in drama. Go to Full Review Ty Burr Boston Globe 03/19/2004
4/4
A heart-rending account of people trying to dodge the hurdles that politics puts in front of them. Go to Full Review Jonathan Curiel San Francisco Chronicle 03/05/2004
4/4
A seven-year time lapse that's full of drama, poignancy and some heartbreaking moments. Go to Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 11/03/2005
3/5
Eric D. Snider EricDSnider.com 05/18/2004
B
Here are a handful of fairly ordinary people who happen to be from a crippled island with a deteriorating economy, who earn our sympathy just by being themselves. Go to Full Review Jeff Vice Deseret News (Salt Lake City) 05/07/2004
3/4
Focuses its attention on telling a series of individual, human stories, refreshingly leaving the history lessons for the classroom. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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11/25/2021 A documentary which is so raw that you can't say anything against it. It's a hard trip to take. 7/10 See more 03/05/2012 First of all I am amazed by the level of access the filmmakers had with the balseros. It was sad but interesting to see these people wanting a better life than they had in Cuba only to find it is worse for many of them in the U.S. after a while the film started to get a little tedious also. See more 09/07/2011 Muy interesante documental sobre los balseros cubanos. See more 06/10/2011 interesting doc about cuban refugees See more 09/21/2009 Este documental vale la pena, aunque por momentos es peli-documental... pero si estas filmando una historia de mas de 5 años, al final los participantes son tus amigos y les puedes pedir tomas especiales. La historia cuenta la experiencia de los balseros cubanos y los sigue durante 5 años, en cuba y en usa... wenísima, un acierto histórico deja mucho más, porque llega a mostrar las vueltas de la vida. NOS ENCANTOOO! See more 03/22/2009 How each person can decide their future; even if they are given the same opportunities, it doesn't guarantee the same results. See more Read all reviews
Cuban Rafters

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Cast & Crew

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Carles Bosch

Director

Josep Maria Domènech

Director

Guillermo Armas

Actor

Carles Bosch

Writer

David Trueba

Writer

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Cuban Rafters

Cuban Rafters (2002) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis A public television crew joined Cuban nationals in 1994 for this insightful documentary about their harrowing escape on a raft, their incarceration at the U.S. base in Guantanamo Bay and their transition to life in the United States. When the rafters, known as "balseros," finally arrived in the U.S., they spread out to a string of cities. Seven years later, the filmmakers reconnected with their subjects to see what progress they had made in their pursuit of the American Dream.
Director
Carles Bosch, Josep Maria Domènech
Screenwriter
Carles Bosch, David Trueba
Distributor
Seventh Art Releasing
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
European Spanish
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 17, 2003, Original
Release Date (DVD)
Jul 26, 2005
Runtime
2h 0m