Miami Film Festival premieres documentary on repression, crisis, and exodus in Cuba following July 11th

The Miami International Film Festival will premiere next Thursday The Eternal Night of Cuba (Cuba’s Eternal Night), a powerful documentary that depicts the humanitarian crisis, repression, and the mass exodus from the island following the massive protests on July 11 and 12, 2021, known as 11J.

The 66-minute audiovisual documentary follows five Cubans over two years as they confront government repression, shortages of food and medicine, and the largest mass exodus the island has ever experienced, according to the synopsis.

"Those who miraculously escaped imprisonment and persecution speak bravely before the camera in a country that is sinking, with no hint of hope except for the desperate desire to flee, no matter the cost. A bankrupt society, abandoned to its fate, without the solidarity or support of nationals and foreigners who once placed their faith in an ideology doomed to failure and corruption," the text emphasizes.

The Eternal Night of Cuba will have its premiere on April 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the Koubek Theater in Miami-Dade County, in South Florida, as part of the showcase for the 42nd edition of the Miami International Film Festival (Miami International Film Festival-MIFF), which runs from the 3rd to the 13th of this month.

The director and screenwriter of the film, Jordan Allott, has filmed projects in over 35 countries including China, Syria, Nigeria, and Cuba, with themes ranging from international human rights and American politics to Catholic spirituality.

Allott has produced films about persecuted groups, including the feature documentary Oscar’s Cuba, about doctor Oscar Elías Biscet, a Cuban dissident and human rights advocate who was imprisoned by the Havana regime and spent nearly a decade in prison for his political beliefs.

Repression continues

To quell the protests that erupted on July 11, 2021, in dozens of cities and towns across Cuba, the regime of Miguel Díaz-Canel resorted to violent repression and arbitrary arrests of protesters—including minors—followed in the subsequent months by summary and exemplary trials that violated due process and the imposition of long and unjust sentences.

During the repression of the protests, the citizen Diubis Laurencio Tejeda, 36 years old, was shot and killed by a police officer while participating in the peaceful demonstration in the La Güinera neighborhood in Havana on July 12. So far, he is the only confirmed fatality from those events. Another Cuban, Osiris Puerto Terry, was shot multiple times by regime forces during the protest at the Toyo corner in the Diez de Octubre municipality.

The wave of government repression against the demonstrators of 11J not only resulted in mass incarcerations, but also in a tragic toll that includes the death of at least four political prisoners in custody. These cases reflect the inhumane conditions of Cuban prisons, medical neglect, and the systematic abuse towards those who dared to demand freedom in a country where dissent is brutally punished.

The organization Prisoners Defenders and other human rights groups have reported that the Cuban regime holds 1,150 political prisoners, most of whom were arrested for protesting against the Díaz-Canel government.

In January 2025, the regime in Havana announced the release of 553 individuals due to international pressure and following the decision of the administration of former U.S. President Joe Biden (2021-2025) to remove Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.

After the initial releases, the process was halted for more than a month, but in March, the vice president of the Supreme People's Court (TSP) of Cuba stated that the procedure was completed “successfully” and was divided into two phases: 378 requests approved in January and 175 in February.

Human rights organizations have reported that the Cuban regime has inflated the figures of releases by mixing political prisoners with common inmates, and that most of those released had already been eligible for parole for months or for an open regime.

Furthermore, activists have reported that the government still holds hundreds of prisoners of conscience in Cuban prisons, and that those released continue to be subjected to surveillance and restrictions.

Meanwhile, the regime continues to warn that those who do not comply with the imposed conditions could be returned to prison at any moment.

Economic crisis and accelerated exodus

Agricultural production in Cuba has experienced an alarming collapse in recent years, confirming the growing food crisis the country is facing. This is compounded by rampant inflation and logistical difficulties arising from the economic crisis the nation is undergoing.

Organizations such as the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights (OCDH) warn about arise in extreme poverty among Cuban families, while noting that “the scarcity of medicine, unemployment, hit millions of Cubans, who watch their lives go by amid outdated calls to resistance, and do not expect alternatives other than 'finding a way' or escaping.”

A study conducted by the renowned Cuban economist and demographer Juan Carlos Albizu-Campos estimates that the resident population in Cuba has alarmingly decreased in recent years and is now below 8,000,000 people, representing a 24% drop in just four years, a figure the author compares to wartime scenarios.

According to Cuban intellectual Lenier González, to contain this systemic crisis following the national uprising, the regime initiated two processes: the repression of all dissent and civic opposition activities (regardless of their nature) and the accelerated stimulation of mass emigration (to prevent another national uprising).

The MIFF

Founded in 1984 by Cuban filmmaker and critic Nat Chediak and Steven Bowles, the MIFF is known for celebrating independent films and its focus on promoting Latin American, Ibero-American, and international cinema.

It has served as a launching platform in the U.S. market for directors and actors such as Pedro Almodóvar, Antonio Banderas, Carmen Maura, Fernando Trueba, Eliseo Subiela, Wim Wenders, and Abbas Kiarostami.

The mission of the event is to support emerging and established filmmakers, foster creative expression, and engage the community in meaningful cultural experiences.

As part of the presentations for the current edition, on April 5, the film Adiós Cuba, by renowned Cuban director Rolando Díaz, had its world premiere.

Starring Yuliet Cruz, Frank Moreno, Betiza Bismark, and Grisell Monzón, the film tells the story of Caridad, a Cuban theater artist exiled in Valencia, who struggles to stage a play in an improvised space while gathering real testimonies about exile. This play becomes a metaphor for the Cuba that many carry in their memory and their hearts.

One of the most notable aspects of the film is its soundtrack, which featured the collaboration of the recently deceased Edesio Alejandro, one of the most emblematic musicians in Cuban cinema. His involvement in this project adds an additional emotional layer to the work.

One day earlier, on April 4th, the premiere of the documentary Chirino also took place, the first production dedicated to the life and artistic career of the iconic Cuban musician Willy Chirino, who is 78 years old.

Frequently Asked Questions about the documentary "The Eternal Night of Cuba" and the situation in Cuba post-11J