Episodic look at the life of Cuban poet and novelist, Reynaldo Arenas (1943-1990), from his childhood in Oriente province to his death in New York City. By 1964, he is in Havana where his writing and homosexuality get him into trouble: he spends two years in prison, writing letters for other inmates and smuggling out a novel. He befriends Lázaro Gomes Garriles, with whom he lives stateless and in poverty in Manhattan after leaving Cuba. When asked why he writes, he replies cheerfully, "Revenge."
Type: Feature FilmLength: 133 minutes
Year: 2000
Audio Language: English
Subtitles: Spanish
Themes: Cuba, Drama, Gender/Sexuality, Politics/Human Rights, Social Issues, USA
Director(s): Julian Schnabel
