Opportunities are important in the art world, but being and artist is hard work and that big break has to catch you working.

Jorge Perugorría is one of the most renowned Cuban actors. His interpretation of Diego in Strawberry and Chocolate, nominated for an Oscar in 1994, launched him into fame.

“Strawberry and Chocolate, by Tomás Gutiérrez Alea, Titon, and Juan Carlos Tabio, was one of the first opportunities I got to be in a Cuban movie, and I will be thankful for it for the rest of my life. With it a lot doors began to open, in Cuba and abroad” Pichi, as his friends call him, told Negolution.

However, fame has a price and Pichi was not only aware of it but knew how to handle it. Every new character he’s played has challenged him to be better. It wasn’t easy matching Diego’s character, and the audience would always expect nothing but the very best from him.

During his 25 year long artistic career he has starred in over 60 films where he has had the opportunity to play some of the most memorable characters in Cuban film.

“There are films with which I’m very satisfied, others in which I wish I would have done better and the others I would rather not have been in them at all. But I think that even bad movies deserve a chance because in the end you always make them with the same passion. You can’t always expect a perfect movie with a perfect script that immediately captivates you, you have to also take risks and take a chance on a young filmmaker’s debut feature, because the film world always manages to surprise you”.

According to the famous actor, opportunities are important in the art world, but being and artist is hard work and that big break has to catch you working.

“There are incredible artists with amazing talent, phenomenal writers who have been waiting their whole lives for that great story to come along to finally start writing; talented producers with a wonderful idea always in the making but never made, materialized. All of them have the intellectual skills, however art is what comes of this, art is the outcome”.

After talking with Pichi for a while, I felt like it was time to ask him something I’ve always wondered.

— If you had to choose just one of the characters you’ve played, which one would it be?

— Cuban cinema —he answered without hesitating—, I will always choose Cuban cinema because I feel that the characters in it represent me. I’ve played many characters that I’ve enjoyed and that have changed me both personally and professionally. I will always be Diego, as I am Mario Conde from Leonardo Padura’s novel, one of the last ones I’ve had the opportunity to play in the Four seasons in Havana series. The waiting list, Honey for Oshun and Amor vertical are also amongst my favorites.

Cuban cinema is known internationally for its themes and artistic quality that’s why Jorge Perugorría, like so many other Cuban actors, feels proud to be part of the Cuban film tradition.

“The New Latin American Cinema is in a transition phase that has yet to conclude. When the project started it was being led by the Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry (ICAIC), who managed to produce up to ten films per year among documentaries, animated films and others. However, today’s digital cinema has reduced costs and democratized production, allowing the proliferation of a type of independent cinema that didn’t exist before. This has yet to find a way to function in Cuba. I believe that when the new Film Industry Law is passed and a period of transition between films made by institutions to independent films is over, the film industry will find new opportunities to function. This has to be legally resolved because until then, Cuban film is not able to move forward”.

These statements made Pichi are backed by his experience, not only in acting but in directing and as president of the International Film Festival of Gibara.

“Gibara is always an excuse for actors, filmmakers, producers, to get together, this is one of the main reasons for a festival to exist, to keep looking for new ways to keep making films. In its 24th edition, the Gibara’s Film Festival kept the registration open for young film makers as usual. We uphold Humberto Solas’ idea of promoting poor cinema, by awarding cash prices under the category “Films in Progress”.

“Film, theater, television, acting in a general, is an exciting job but one that requires dedication. It’s a hard race and many times it’s done alone because the hours spent in front of a script, the time away from home, international commitments, keep you away from your family”.

However, the character in our story has had the good fortune of having a great production team backing him at home and taking care of him. “I chose a career that requires a lot of time and responsibility, that’s why my family’s support is so important and in this sense I’m very lucky. I’ve always had Elsita, my lifelong companion with me on this journey and my children who have also joined the art world”.