Revolution Rent

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Audience Member WOW! What an incredible documentary! Revolution rent will have you laughing, crying, singing and dancing. Watch this, you will not be disappointed. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/31/23 Full Review Glenn G Hi Fidel-ity – Film Review: Revolution Rent ★★★1/2 Shot in 2014, Andy Señor Jr., who played Angel on Broadway along with a host of other credits, staged the classic musical Rent in Havana during a thaw in our relations with the Communist regime. He did so against the wishes of his Cuban family, who suffered under Castro and insisted his production would merely serve as a propaganda tool for the government. He plows ahead instead, capturing the months long process in a rather artless home movie style. The aesthetics don't carry any weight here when you have such a compelling subject matter. Witnessing his actors struggling with their performances while also living in harsh conditions adds new layers to the late Jonathan Larson's story of squatters in the age of AIDS. With a limited talent pool, one of whom doesn't feel comfortable with the gay subject matter and another who lives with HIV himself, Señor finds new connections to Larson's material as well as an affection for his heritage. What we may have taken for granted here in the US in terms of sexuality and gender expression feels like a whole new experience when seen through a Cuban lens. Señor speaks out against the Castros with quick sequences showing moments of oppression, thus preventing this film from perpetuating the lies of its government. Instead, he gifts the people of this poor, struggling country with a real sense of community and its first burst of musical theater in ages. Sure he's a privileged westerner who dangles hope in front of people only to return to his cushy life, but he does so with heart and good intentions. You end up loving and rooting for his cast in this moving, sweet documentary. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 07/29/21 Full Review Audience Member Incredible story of reaching into your roots to create bridges of reconciliation. Emotive and very personal. Loved it. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/13/23 Full Review Audience Member What did I like about this documentary? EVERYTHING. I loved the honesty, the emotion, the conflict and the joy and pain of the journey. Andy Senor is an organically brave, wonderful story teller who bears all seamlessly. I laughed and cried and celebrated with a beautiful cast, crew and family. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/19/23 Full Review Audience Member Unexpectedly moving, a film where you expect to see just the process behind producing RENT in communist Cuba and find yourself intertwined with the struggles, parallels, and triumphs of the cast. Bring your tissues. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/29/23 Full Review Audience Member Rent is my all time favorite musical. It's story about love, friendship, and connection while dealing with poverty and AIDS (and so much more). As an American who has always known democracy and freedom I never really thought about what it is like in other countries that do not have such things. I had heard about Rent being performed in Cuba but just thought of it more as "oh it's another production" until I watched this documentary. It is really well put together and I think captures both the emotion of Andy and his family, as well as the cast members learning what it is like to perform a piece like this. I can't even imagine what it would be like to have fled a country you were born in and then as a parent have to worry about your (grown) child's safety because he is willingly going there. Or as a grown child never having been to visit where your family is from and going when you know it is causing so much concern to your mother and siblings. It was also chilling to see into the homes of some of the performers and how I take for granted things like running water and having a sink are not always the standard across the globe. This is all done while interweaving footage from Andy having been involved with Rent and how impactful this was to mount this production and carrying on important Rent traditions. I really can't properly express how much I enjoyed this film. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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