Manuel Herrera

Director and screenwriter. Bachelor's degree in Political Sciences from the University of La Habana in 1979. National Film Prize 2022.

In Santa Clara, Herrera studied secondary school and pre-university. From a young age he showed cinematographic interests as in the nineteen fifties he founded a film club with his classmates from the Institute of Secondary Education, and there he participated in the creation of some experimental films. In 1957 ―at the age of 15― he fell in love with Eslinda Núñez (who would become a famous film actress). When ICAIC was created in 1960, Herrera moved alone to La Habana, approached the institute, and a few months later was hired, working in the Cine Cubano magazine. In mid-1961 he began working as an editing assistant. That year (1961) Herrera and Núñez were married in Santa Clara and moved to La Habana.

Herrera had gotten in touch with cinema through spontaneous collaboration he provided to the film La batalla de Santa Clara ―the third story of Historias de la Revolución―. After performing the most diverse tasks, he participated as a montage assistant and assistant director in several feature films (Las doce sillas, Para quién baila La Habana and Cumbite) and documentaries such as Guantánamo (by José Massip).

He was president of the Federation of film clubs of Cuba.

He has written film and television screenplays and published short stories in the science fiction genre, as well as articles and film reviews in various newspapers and magazines.

He has served as a juror in various festivals and literary contests, and has participated in numerous international events.

He received, among other recognitions, the Distinction for National Culture of the Republic of Cuba, the Medal 300 Anniversary of the city of Santa Clara and the Laureate Seal.

He was head of first-year teaching at the International School of Film and Television of San Antonio de los Baños, Cuba, and professor of film direction and screenwriting at the Faculty of Audiovisual Media of the Higher Institute of Art (ISA). He was director of the Cinemateca de Cuba.

Filmography

As assistant director

1960: Las doce sillas (fiction feature film), directed by Tomás Gutiérrez Alea.
1962: Para quien baila La Habana (fiction feature film), directed by Vladimir Chech.
1963: Cumbite (fiction feature film), directed by Tomás Gutiérrez Alea.
1964: Guantánamo (documentary, 63'), directed by José Massip.
1970: Una pelea cubana contra los demonios (fiction feature film), directed by Tomás Gutiérrez Alea.

Direction

Retrato de un artista siempre adolescente (Una historia de cine en Cuba) ()
/ Documentary

A young communal worker fights against habits and beliefs rooted in peasant families so they abandon their bohíos and move to a new town. ...
Capablanca (1988)
/ Fiction

1925, year of crisis for world chess champion José Raúl Capablanca. The creative genius faces a new stage when he goes to Moscow to test his strength and finds love. ...
Bailando cha cha chá (2005)
/ Fiction

Story of a Havana family united around the figure of the absent father, the memory of thwarted loves and a dance hall where a new rhythm will be born: the cha cha chá. ...
Zafiros, locura azul (1997)
/ Fiction

Girón (1972)
/ Documentary

Through interviews with combatants, newsreels and film reconstructions a vivid account is made of the failed mercenary invasion of Playa Girón. ...
Screenplay
Retrato de un artista siempre adolescente (Una historia de cine en Cuba) ()
/


1925, year of crisis for world chess champion José Raúl Capablanca. The creative genius faces a new stage when he goes to Moscow to test his strength and finds love. ...
Bailando cha cha chá (2005)
/

Story of a Havana family united around the figure of the absent father, the memory of thwarted loves and a dance hall where a new rhythm will be born: the cha cha chá. ...
Girón (1972)
/

Through interviews with combatants, newsreels and film reconstructions a vivid account is made of the failed mercenary invasion of Playa Girón. ...


As director

1965: Cría porcina (scientific-popular documentary, 16').
1966: Papel, vidrio y metal (scientific-popular documentary, 14').
1967: Ganado (scientific-popular documentary, 19').
1968: Y... (scientific-popular documentary, 17').
1968: Granel (scientific-popular documentary, 15').
1968: Valle del Cauto (documentary, 17').
1969: El llamado de la hora (scientific-popular documentary, 35').
1971: Carnaval 70 (documentary, 21'), not exhibited
1971: Brigada José Martí (documentary, 21'), not exhibited
1972: Girón (documentary, 118').
1973: Régimen salarial (documentary, 10').
1974: Introducción a la fonética (Havana Club advertisement).
1975: Hombres de mar (documentary, 90').
1976: Deportivamente (documentary, 88').
1977: La sexta parte del mundo (documentary, 90') co-direction
1977: ¡Bienvenidos! (documentary, 14').
1978: Conversatorio con Haydée Santamaría I (documentary, 30') and II (documentary, 34').
1979: El pequeño capitán (documentary, 13'), co-direction with Rogelio París
1979: No hay sábado sin sol (fiction feature film).
1980: Un trabajo cotidiano (documentary, 20').
1981: Concierto latinoamericano (documentary, 16').
1985: Excursión a la naturaleza (documentary, 14').
1986: Capablanca (fiction feature film).
1988-1993: Día y noche, various chapters of this television series.
1988-1993: documentaries in video format for Cuban television
1997: Zafiros, locura azul (fiction feature film).
2004: Bailando Cha Cha Chá (fiction feature film).

Awards and recognition

2022: National Film Prize
Distinction for National Culture.
Medal 300 Anniversary of the City of Santa Clara.
Laureate Seal.
1970: prize from the Annual Selection of Critics ("one of the most significant films of the year") for El llamado de la hora. La Habana (Cuba).
1972: prize from the Annual Selection of Critics ("one of the most significant films of the year") for Girón. La Habana (Cuba).
1972: Excellence Prize (Grand Prize). Georgetown Film Festival (Guyana).
1973: Mention for the group of documentaries made on the occasion of the XIII Congress of the CTC, from the Annual Selection of Critics, for Régimen salarial. La Habana (Cuba).
1979: Prize from the Union of Writers of the Soviet Union, at the International Film Festival of Tashkent (Uzbekistan), for No hay sábado sin sol.
1979: Twenty-sixth of July Contest Prize from UPEC. La Habana (Cuba), for El pequeño capitán.
1980: Caracol Prize for Editing to Gladys Cambre for her body of work. UNEAC Contest. La Habana (Cuba), for Un trabajo cotidiano.
1981: Photography Mention to Julio Simoneau for his body of work. UNEAC Contest. La Habana (Cuba), for Concierto latinoamericano.
1997: Popularity Prize. XIX International Festival of New Latin American Cinema. La Habana (Cuba), for Zafiros, locura azul.
1997: El Mégano Prize from the National Federation of Film Clubs. XIX International Festival of New Latin American Cinema. La Habana (Cuba).
1998: Audience Prize. Ibero-American Film Week. Ciego de Ávila (Cuba).
1998: Catalina de Oro Acting Prize to Luis Alberto García. International Film Festival of Cartagena (Colombia).
1998: Acting Prize to Néstor Jiménez. Cinemafest '98, in San Juan (Puerto Rico).
1998: Caracol Prizes: soundtrack to Juan A. Leyva; editing to Manuel Iglesias. UNEAC Contest. La Habana (Cuba).

He remains married to Eslinda Núñez and they have a son, Inti Herrera Núñez, also a filmmaker.