Elián

Released May 19, 2017

1h 48m

Documentary

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100%

Tomatometer

15 Reviews

69%

Audience Score

50+ Ratings

A 5-year-old Cuban boy is found floating at sea, triggering a bitter custody battle between his Cuban father and relatives in Miami.

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Robert Abele

Los Angeles Times

Your sympathy and judgment coexist, no matter how wince-inducing it gets with each turbulent turn. Context is everything here.

Jun 1, 2017

Full Review

Frank Scheck

Hollywood Reporter

For the most part the film chronicles the complex tale cogently and effectively, using extensive archival footage as well as contemporary interviews that help put the events in context.

May 15, 2017

Full Review

Fionnuala Halligan

Screen International

It's not exactly revelatory, in the manner of OJ: MIA. But it does effectively plunge the viewer back in those choppy seas for an object lesson in how politics can rapidly inflame a situation to dangerous levels.

May 15, 2017

Full Review

Erica Peplin

Vague Visages

It’s a miracle that Golden and McDonnell were able to create such a coherent document out of what appears to be bureaucratic chaos.

Dec 5, 2023

Full Review

Phil Guie

Film-Forward.com

The film isn't just about Elián as a political prop, as directors Tim Golden and Ross McDonnell also recall the round-the-clock media frenzy that developed around him.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 21, 2019

Full Review

Glenn Heath Jr.

San Diego CityBeat

Captures the simmering tension of this historical moment. It meticulously weaves together talking head interviews and archival footage to provide contextual groundwork for a larger conversation about the complicated nature of Cuban/American relations.

Aug 21, 2018

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StephenPaul C

The greatest 01 hour: and 48 minutes of real Cuban relatives in Miami, including the 5-year-old boy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/11/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Powerful Documentary! "Had the Elian event been handled better, we might not have had the Iraq war," - Joe Garcia, Former U.S. Congressman

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

dave d

'Elian' is entertaining, but unfortunately it will be frustrating in many respects. First of all, it wanders off the story which based on the title is the Cuban Elian Gonzalez. Gonzalez was taken to America by his mother who died on the journey. The rest is condensed and well-told. What should make this special is that it has exclusive interviews with not only Elian, but also his American and Cuban families. Sadly, Elian doesn't say what we'd like him to say and that's going to turn a lot of viewers off. Also I wonder how much he repeated talking points. They didn't use much footage of him in the present day and what they did was very surface information. It was edited so we even heard him repeating himself. We'll never know the whole truth about the whole ordeal, but if you remember the drama it's a journey down memory lane. If you don't recall the story it's also a worthwhile watch. Final Score: 6.8/10

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Ross McDonnell

Director

Tim Golden

Director

Tim Golden

Writer

Trevor Birney

Producer

Alex Gibney

Executive Producer

Ross McDonnell

Cinematographer

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Synopsis

A 5-year-old Cuban boy is found floating at sea, triggering a bitter custody battle between his Cuban father and relatives in Miami.

Director: Ross McDonnell, Tim Golden
Producer: Alex Gibney
Screenwriter: Tim Golden
Distributor: Gravitas Ventures
Production Co: Gravitas Ventures
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 19, 2017, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 2, 2017
Runtime: 1h 48m

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