CREATORS AND DEVELOPERS
RAFAEL RAMÍREZ
1983, Cuba. Bachelor in Audiovisual Communication, by the University of the Arts, Havana, Cuba. Graduated in documentary filmmaking at EICTV (San Antonio de los Baños International Film School). His work has been part of international programs at France, Spain, Switzerland, UK, Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Chile, USA and Japan. He has directed mockumentaries: Filmar Pedro Páramo (2007), Tractatus (2008) and Diary of the Mist (Mar del Plata IFF, 2015), also the documentary short film Limbo (DocumentaMadrid, 2016), the hybrid documentary Alona (Mar del Plata, DocumentaMadrid, 2017) and the experimental shorts Traces of the Inscribed (2017) and Amundsen´s Dogs (Locarno Film Festival 2017, FIC Valdivia, Mar del Plata IFF, Frames of Representation, DocumentaMadrid, FestCurtas, Frontera Sur, Neighboring Scenes). In the 32th edition of Mar del Plata IFF was presented a retrospective of his works in the Altered States Section. In 2019 two of his short films were selected by the Cervantes Institute for a worldwide exhibition. His first feature film Winter Campaigns was premiered in April, 2019 in Curacao IFF Rotterdam and he is currently developing two others feature film projects.
From September 2017 until December 2018 he coordinated the Humanities Department and the master degree in Alternative Cinema organized by the EICTV. Ramírez has created a vast net of heteronyms, including the 8 writers of Umbralismo and the filmmakers Franz Akuva, Mateo Mordeccai and Adolfo Gaitán. He directs and composes the music for The Royal Bakunin Orchestra, under the names of Charles Klame, Erika Rodescu, Herr Akenathon, and Michael Winterness.
In May, 2019, Ramírez and greek filmmaker Athina Taka, created Mundus Subterraneus, a Society devoted to the study of the Collision.
ATHINA TAKA
1989, Greece, Bachelor Degree in Modern European History from UCL in London. Following her graduation in 2010, worked in Athens as an investigator journalist in historical and socio-political documentaries for the national television. In 2013 and 2014 she was responsible of communication and organization of the International Film Festival of Patmos (IFFP). In September 2017 she entered the San Antonio de los Baños International Film School (EICTV), She has directed three short films: A Letter (as George Widekind) (2017), Green Fields (2019) and Ahasverus (2019).
In May, 2019, Athina Taka and Cuban filmmaker Rafael Ramirez, created Mundus Subterraneus, a Society devoted to the study of the Collision.
MEMBERS
KNARIK ARSHAKUNI & IZENZON VON ERTEGUN
Reyna Arias (a.k.a. Knarik Arshakuni) and Adrián Ronda (a.k.a. Izenzon von Ertegun) are two musicians from TRBO that from 2009 were working in the basis of Mundus Subterraneus. Along with filmmakers Athina Taka and Rafael Ramírez, they unveiled the preliminary notions of the Perceptron's Manifesto.
ALEJANDRO ALONSO
Cuba, 1987. Graduated from the specialty of Documentary Direction at the EICTV in 2015. His films have been exhibited in Cuba, Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Peru, Brazil, the United States of America, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, Holland, Spain, Italy, Hungary, Georgia, Switzerland, Germany, Rumania, Russia, and France. The Farewell had its international premiere at the IDFA (Holland), and has won the following prizes: best film in the category of Aciertos of the FICUNAM (Mexico); Full Frame President Award (USA); special mention of the jury at the 44 Sehsüchte (Germany), and best documentary at the Gibara Film Festival (Cuba). Duel was premiered at Cinema du Réel, the festival organized by the Pompidou Museum (France); it won the prize to the best short film at the 32 Film Festival of Mar del Plata (Argentina), and to the best short film at the 58 Festival of Popoli (Italy). The Project had its world release at Visions du Réel (Switzerland), obtained the FIPRESCI Prize at the 60 Dok Leipzig (Germany) and was considered by the Cuban critics as best documentary made in the island in 2017. Metatrón had its world premiere in Visions du Réel (Switzerland). Home is the result of the residence granted him by the MEP and the Cité des Arts in Paris during the autumn of 2018. During 2017 and 2019 he coordinated the master degree in Alternative Cinema organized by the EICTV.
Films: Evocation (2010) 4’; Delirium (2011) 8’; Chrysalis (2012) 8’; Close Your Eyes (2013) 21’; Candles (2014) 19’; The Farewell (2014) 25’; The son of the dream (2016) 10’; Duel (2017) 12’; The Project (2017) 60’; Metatron (2018) 13’; Home (2019) 10’.
CÉSAR VELASCO BROCA
Velasco Broca (Amurrio, Álava, Spain. 1978) is a graduate in Audiovisual Communication from the UCM. His trilogy of 16mm short films, ECHOS DER BUCHRÜCKEN (2001-2007) has won over 20 awards and has been screened at international festivals such as Cannes Directors' Fornight, Sitges, Torino, Stockholm, Worldwide and Belo Horizonte, among others. AVANT PETALOS GRILLADOS (2007) won the Grand Jury Award for the Best Experimental Short Film at Slamdance, a nomination for the Gold Méliès Award and a selection for the Cannes Directors' Fortnight. Cameo Media has released his complete works in 2008 on DVD, which includes digital writings, sound compositions and video- diaries. The short film LA COSTRA LÁCTEA (2003) is also part of the anthology "From ecstasy to rapture: 50 years of alternative Spanish Cinema" sponsored by the CCCB. In 2010 he shot "VDO out of his mind", a short film essay, and supervised the edition of Val del Omar's DVD Pack "Elementary Triptych of Spain" (Cameo Media-Reina Sofía Museum, 2011). In the same year he co-produced and edited TRUE LOVE (2010), Ion de Sosa’s first feature film. He also edited CRUMBS (2014), Miguel Llansó’s feature film debut. After his five-year retreat to India, in 2017, he returned to 16mm with OUR FRIEND THE MOON, whose World Premiere was at the Locarno Film Festival and won the Best Short Film Awards at BAFICI (Buenos Aires) and Malaga Film Festival. In 2018 he created -together with the Canódromo Abandonado collective- TO HELP THE HUMAN EYE, an esoteric anthology film which won the Agrippa Award at the Hermetic Film Festival in Venice. He is currently working on his next film ALEGRÍAS RIOJANAS, which he hopes will be released by 2020.
ALEJANDRO PÉREZ
Born in 1985 in Jáen, Spain. 2010 Master in Economics and Journalism from Carlos III University of Madrid. In 2017 received a degree in Documentary filmmaking from EICTV (International Film and TV School of San Antonio de los Baños, Cuba). He had directed El Contramaestre (2016, Mar del Plata IFF, Special Jury Mention); El Automata (2017); El Espectaculo (2017, IDFA, DocumentaMadrid); Huile sur vent (2018, Winterthur, Special Jury Mention, IndieLisboa).
KAREN ANDERSEN
Born in the countryside of Denmark in 1988. In 2017 she finished her studies at The International School for Film and Television, EICTV, San Antonio de los Baños, Cuba, specialising in Documentary Direction.
Before going to Cuba, Mexico City was the base for Karen in the years 2012-2015, when she worked on different film projects, mostly in the Art Department. Before going abroad, Karen worked on different projects as a cinematographer and assistant director, supported by The Danish Film Institute, Filmværkstedet.
THE ROYAL BAKUNIN ORCHESTRA
The Royal Bakunin Orchestra (TRBO) is a Cuban musical band, created on July 27, 2009, dedicated to the interpretation of the musical work of various apocryphal orchestras and composers around the world. The TRBO repertoire mix different rhythms and sound styles such as swamp rock, mariachi, changui, jazz, blues, polka, progressive rock, punk, electronic, country, canjun, experimental, among others.
Director and composer: Rafael Ramirez; Manager and musical producer: Danilo Guerrero Montero. Manager: Guillermo Yan Merida.
Musicians: Reyna Arias (voice); Rafael Ramirez (voice & electric bass); Adrián Ronda (clarinet & guitar), Daniel Sánchez (tenor sax), Joaquín Franco (baritone sax), Víctor Puentes Parra (keyboards & accordion), Fabián Rodríguez (guitar), Yuliber Verdecia (guitar), José Manuel Pintado (drums), Carmen Arias (chorus); Silvia Arias (chorus); Tatiana Gonzalez (chorus); Alexander Hernandez (trombone); Rolando Totem (drums), Oscar (electric bass); Oro (trumpet); Yadir (trumpet); Manuel Alejandro Ramirez (alto and baritone sax); Yunieski Garcia (tenor sax); Adan (electric bass); Blackaman Killer (tuba); Rafael de Jesus R. Betancourt (keyboards), Franklin (alto sax); Mayra Ramirez (cello); Ramiro Cardoso (tres); Jesus Bermudez (tres, guitar, sound recording and mix).
CARLOS TERÁN VARGAS
Guionista, antropólogo visual y curador. Graduado en cine por el Instituto Superior de Arte de La Habana y la EICTV San Antonio de los Baños. Msc por FLACSO-Ecuador en antropología visual y documental. Egresado del Centro de formación literaria Onelio Jorge Cardoso. Escritor del largometraje de ficción "VACÍO" (Xanadú Films, 2020) estrenado en BUSAN, Korea, BAFICI, Argentina, OSAKA, Japón; y de los documentales “¿Quién es X. Mocoso?” (Sapo Inc, 2013) estrenado en EDOC 2013, Quito y "FER" (Toonka, 2008) este último proyecto sobre la obra de Fernando Birri. Actualmente se desempeña como director e investigador en la Universidad de las Artes del Ecuador con el proyecto documental “Dispositivo ORG” (Paperback S.A.) pieza audiovisual y curatorial sobre la película experimental ORG" de Fernando Birri con la colaboración del Institut für film und videokunst – ARSENAL, Berlín.
DANILO GUERRERO MONTERO
1979, Holguin. Computer Sciences Engineer by the University of Havana. Musical producer and manager in TRBO (2009-2012), director of music radio shows, festival curator and cultural activist. A key figure in the development of The Royal Bakunin Orchestra heteronyms universe.
CELYEN MAZORRA
(a.k.a. C. Massoure). Cuba. 1984. Bachelor in Audiovisual Communication, by the University of the Arts, Havana, Cuba. Has produced the fake/documentaries Filmar Pedro Paramo and Tractatus. Also screenwriter and producer for Kaddath and Necronomicon (films directed by George Widekind). With R. Ramirez has co-written Harry Quinlan and the Great Duke of Nothingness, a large volume of exchanged letters.
LISANDRA LÓPEZ FABÉ
Cuba, 1986. Graduated from Screenplay at EICTV, Dramaturgy by the University of the Arts and from the Course of Narrative Techniques in Onelio Jorge Cardoso Literary Training Center. Scholarship granted by the Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program by the University of Concordia, Montreal, Canada. Mezcal Jury at the 32nd Guadalajara Film Festival. She has worked as a screenwriter in the documentaries Diary of the Mist (Rafael Ramirez, 2015), Limbo (Rafael Ramírez, 2016), Alona (Rafael Ramírez, 2016), Duel (Alejandro Alonso, 2016), The Project (Alejandro Alonso, 2017) and Home (Alejandro Alonso, 2019). She made her debut as a director with the documentary feature Brouwer. The Origin of the Shadow, co-directed with Katherine T. Gavilán.
JESÚS BERMÚDEZ
Venezuela. Sound designer, production sound, mixing for music, films and media. Lead Signals Studio for a handful of years, recording, mixing and producing music for a variety of local bands and artistic groups. Graduated from the EICTV (Escuela Internacional de Cine y Televisión) in Sound (2014 - 2107) and from the TAS (Taller de Arte Sonoro) as sound engineer (2007 - 2010). His most recent works have participated and competed in renowned festivals: Locarno 70th, DOK Leipzig, Visions du Réel, Cinéma du Réel, DocumentaMadrid, Young Havana Festival, Gibara Festival, among others.
JUAN MANUEL IZQUIERDO
(a.k.a. Charlie Hartmann). Spain. Professional screenwriter trained at the International School of Film and TV in San Antonio de los Baños (EICTV), Cuba and in the Master of Fiction Scriptwriting for film and TV at the Pontifical University of Salamanca (UPSA). Degree in Audiovisual Communication from the University of Madrid (UCM). In addition, screenwriter, producer and announcer for two radio stations in Madrid. As a screenwriter has worked in several documentaries: Palomeros (2015) -presented at the Mumbai Film Festival-, Mataperros (2015) -Best short film at the Cuba Im Film Festival in Frankfurt-, Los huesos que aquí estamos (2015), Constelación/Constelaçao (2016) and The Sight (2017). Has also worked on the short fiction films Estandarte (2015) and La sombra del mono escarlata (2016).
JIMMY NIEVES JUSTO
1974. Philosopher, translator, screenwriter. Degree in Sociology from the University of Santiago de Cuba. Additionally, he studied Philosophy at the University of Havana. He has been Professor of Contemporary Thought in the Philosophy Department of the University of Santiago and Professor of History of Mathematics at the same center. Professor of Logic, Metaphysics, and Philosophy of Language at the San Basilio Magno Seminary, Santiago de Cuba. Works: Lo contrasentido y la verdad (2006). Infinitud y continuidad en el antiguo pensamiento eleático (2013). Spanish translation of G. E. M. Anscombe's Introduction to Wittgensteinʼs Tractatus (2015, unpublished). Brief analytical study of Aristotelian logic (2018). He is currently working on his next book Esquirlas. Ensayo sobre la situación. He has also worked as a co-writer and leading actor in the feature film Winter Campaigns.
ANA MARÍA PULIDO
Producer, graduated from EICTV. Her productions have participated in the official competition in IDFA, Biarritz, Jihlava, Málaga, Busan, Cartagena de Indias among others. Selected to participate in the Berlinale Talents GDL. She has been an advisor of projects in development and has taught at events such as Iberoamerican Meeting of Emerging Filmmakers, supported by Ibermedia, Casa Comal Film School and Ícaro Festival. She is currently coordinator of promotion and distribution in DOC:CO and with her production company Torre de Marfilms develops: When the river sounds participant in the Sundance Script Lab and LabGuion; Journey to the West, participant of the MAFF - Malaga Festival Fund and Coproduction Event and New Looks 11, she is also co-producer of Horst documentary feature film premiered at Hof International Film Festival. She has worked as a producer and production coordinator in multiple audiovisual projects; advertising campaigns and television series.
ALEJO ALAS
Alejo Alas was born on March 31, 1987 in Guatemala City. He is a editor, known for Wild District (2018), Mil Colmillos, and HORST (2018). Specialized in cinematographic montage of the regular course of the EICTV, International Film and Television School of San Antonio de los Baños, Cuba. He began his film studies at the Centro de Artes Audiovisuales (CAAV) Guadalajara, Mexico.
At the beginning of 2019 he edited the series for HBO Latin American Originals, “Mil Colmillos” and during 2018 he was editor of the series for Netflix Originals; "Wild District" and "Green Frontier" (COL-USA). At the end of 2017, he finished the editing of his sixth feature film, “Winter Campaigns” (CU-VEN-MEX) part of the trilogy started with “Los Perros de Amundsen”, selected at the Locarno Festival 2017. He has participated as Jr. Editor in Buenos Aires, Argentina in the fiction feature: "Beyond Brotherhood" (PAN-ARG-USA) shortlisted for the Academy Awards 2018- Best Foreign Language-, representing Panama.
JORGE YGLESIAS
Jorge Yglesias is a poet, writer, literary translator and film critic.
He’s the head of the Chair of Humanities and professor of Film History and Aesthetics of Documentary in the International School of Cinema and TV (EICTV) of San Antonio de los Baños, Cuba.
Readings, lectures and courses in cultural centres and institutions in Paris, Lille, Marseille, Arles, Norwich, Cambridge, Berlin, Viena, Montreal, Toronto, Caracas, Valencia (Venezuela), Bogotá, Cartagena and Santiago de los Caballeros.
Residencies at the Centre International de Poesie, Marseille (2000), Austrian Literary Society (1997, 1998), Direction du Livre et de la Lecture du Ministère de la Culture de France (2001), and British Centre for Literary Translation (2003).
He was awarded the National Prize for Film Criticism (1998, 1999, 2003), the National Prize for Literary Translation (1998), the Unesco Prize to the Best Translation of Pushkin (1999), the Austrian Literary Translation Prize (2000), and the Literary Translation Prize of the College International des Traducteurs Littéraires de Arles (2002).
JOSÉ LUIS SERRANO
Cuban poet born in Estancia Lejos, Gibara, Holguín, 1971. It is one of the most notable voices of contemporary Cuban poetry. He has deserved important awards for his poetic work, such as: Foundation of the City of Santa Clara, the Cucalambé National Prize for his book El mundo tiene la razón (written in co-authorship with Ronel González), the Iberoamerican Prize Cucalambé with its volume Examen de fe. He has published Bufón de Dios (Reina del Mar Editores and Ediciones La Luz, 1997); Aneurisma (Foundation of the City of Santa Clara 1998; Editorial Capiro, 1999); La resaca de todo lo sufrido (same prize in 2002; Editorial Capiro, 2003); Los Inquilinos de la Casa Usher (Ediciones Holguín, 2005); El baile extraño (Cuadernos Dédalo, 2005); El yo profundo (Editorial Letras Cubanas, 2005) and El Gran Vidrio: Último Discurso de Zaratustra (Editorial Cuadernos Papiro, 2006). Author of the Acephale Trilogy, whose three volumes have won the awards: José Manuel Poveda, Adelaida del Marmol, National Critics Award, and the Nicolás Guillen Prize.
ARSENIO R. PETERSSEN
Cuba, 1983. (a.k.a. Quentin Magnus). Bachelor in History of Art by the University of Havana. Art critic, fiction writer. Some of his works has been published in Revista de la Vagancia en Cuba.
EL VAQUERO
Cuba, 1970. José Manuel Izquierdo considers himself as a sound phenomena. Rock musician and composer. Guitar player. Leading actor in the films Blank Notes and Winter Campaigns. His series of home recordings Organon Magna are like isolated notes in the vast instrument he builds for his ultimate master piece Elohim.
RAMÓN LEGÓN PINO
(a.k.a. Mr. Mystery). Graduated in History by the University of Santiago de Cuba. Historian researcher. Art critic and curator. Scriptwriter for radio (Comentando, Cafe Milenio, Fin de Siglo) and television (Enclave de Jazz). Creator of the photoblog Cien años cien rostros, commemorating the racist killing of the Independientes de Color Political Party. Programmer and director of The White Cube, a space for theoretical debate and visual arts exhibitions. From 1996-1998 he organized his contemporary art project Rhetoric of the Metaphor, focused on the performance. Illustrator of books. Leading actor in The Film without Name, Beautiful Bakunin and Winter Campaigns. Producer of experimental short films Panopticon and The City.
ENMANUEL LAHENS
(a.k.a. George Widekind). An original mind, beyond imitation. Curiously, the films of Widekind replicate others director's style and obsessions (Akuva, Mordeccai, Gaitan). His life and actual residence place remain a mystery. In Fractal Man, Julius Maynard's seminal novel, Widekind is considered the author of the eternal film produced by Bahamut Limited Co. Under his real name (Enmanuel Lahens) appears as a secundary character in Akuva's Winter Campaigns.
JULIUS MAYNARD
(a.k.a. Rafael de Jesús R. Betancourt). Musician, composer, actor. The legendary author of the novel Fractal Man. A key member of Umbralismo. The stuff that dreams are made of.
ANTONIO E. GONZÁLEZ ROJAS
1981, Cienfuegos. Degree in Journalism from the University of Havana. Film critic, screenwriter, art critic. One of the most remarkable Cuban contemporary cinema critics. His texts appear in publications such as Hypermedia Magazine, La Gaceta de Cuba, El Caimán Barbudo, Altercine, Cuban Cinema: La pupila insomne, Esquife, and in several Cuban and foreign compilations. He has published the e-book Voces en la niebla. Un lustro de cine joven cubano (2010-2015), in Claustrofobia Ediciones. Honorary member of Umbralismo and signer of the Manifesto for an infinite cinema.
RAYDEL ARAOZ
Graduated in Electrical Engineering at ISPAJAE (1999) and the specialty of Screenplay at EICTV (2004). Bachelor of Theology at the Higher Institute of Biblical and Theological Studies (ISEBIT) in 2006. In 2009 he won a grant from the National Fund for Culture and Arts (FONCA) of Mexico for Latin American creators with the documentary project Anahuac. The ancient and modern anthropologists. He has published several narrative and essay books. Among his most relevant films are Another Cuban Fight Against Demons and the Sea (2007) - co-directed with Tupac Pinilla - OMNI in front of the mirror (2007), Writing and Disaster (2008), Anahuac. The ancient and modern anthropologists (2009), The station of the flutes (2010), Return to Havana with Guillén Landrián (2012) - co-directed with Julio Ramos - and La Isla y los signos (2014). Honorary member of Umbralismo and signatory of the Manifesto for an infinite cinema.