International Competition

In a Whisper

Heidi Hassan, Patricia Pérez Fernández
Screening time  
06.10. / Tuesday, 18:00 - 20:00 Ticket

Childhood friends Patricia and Heidi grew up in Cuba, where they both went to the film academy. As children of the 1970s, they were brought up with the communist ideals of Che Guevara, but the promised bright future failed to materialize. Independently of each other, they fled the malaise and censorship of their homeland. Heidi ended up in Switzerland, Patricia in Spain. They had no contact for years. Now both 40, they seek a way to approach each other again, choosing the medium that suits them best: video letters. Both have continued to film their lives, even though it seemed unlikely that they would ever work in film again. In their frank audiovisual communication, the two migrants recount all the roundabout routes they have taken in their lives: Patricia’s years selling mojitos, Heidi’s search for work and connection with society in Geneva, and the struggle with alienation and nostalgia for a country that no longer exists. The result of the letters, ingeniously edited into a chronological yet freewheeling whole, is a sensitive, two-sided account of uprootedness, motherhood, love of film, friendship and freedom.

Heidi_hassan

Heidi Hassan

Heidi Hassan is visual artist and filmmaker born in 1978 in Cuba. After getting a degree in Cinematography from the International Film School of San Antonio de los Baños, Cuba in 2002, she emigrated to Switzerland where she continued her professional training at the Haute Ecole d’Art et Design in Geneva and got her diploma in Film Directing in 2008. Nowadays she reconciles her personal work as a filmmaker and visual artist with numerous collaborations as a director of photography. Her work has been presented and awarded at international film festivals. In a Whisper (2019) is her second full-length documentary, made in collaboration with Patricia Pérez Fernández.

Patriciaperez

Patricia Pérez Fernández

Patricia Pérez Fernández, born in 1978 in Cuba, got her degree in Drama from Havana’s Instituto Superior de Arte and continued her training at the International Film School of San Antonio de los Baños, Cuba, where she got her diploma in Film Directing in 2002. In 2003 she got a scholarship to pursue postgraduate studies at the Film and Audiovisual School of Catalonia (ESCAC) and migrated to Spain. Since then, she has made several fiction short films and documentaries. Currently, she is a staff member of DOCMA (Spain’s Documentary Producers Association). In a Whisper (2019) is her feature documentary debut made in collaboration with Heidi Hassan.

General sponsor

A media voz

France, Switzerland, Spain, Cuba
2019, 80'

Directed by:
Heidi Hassan, Patricia Pérez Fernández

Screenplay by:
Heidi Hassan, Patricia Pérez Fernández

Cinematography:
Heidi Hassan, Patricia Pérez Fernández

Edited by:
Heidi Hassan, Patricia Pérez Fernández, Diana Toucedo

Music:
Olivier Militon, Patricia Cadaveira

Producers:
Daniel Froiz, Delphine Schmit

Produced by:
Matriuska Producciones, Perspective Films, Producciones de la 5ta Avenida, PCT cinéma télévision

Festivals & Awards:

IDFA 2019 – Best Feature-Length Documentary; Havana Film Festival 2019 – Best Documentary; Miami Film Festival 2020; Festival de Cine de Lima (online) 2020

Contact:

Habanero
Alfredo Calvino
T. +5522999728481
E. acalvino@habanerofilmsales.com
 
Patricia Martin
T. +55 22 999439657
E. patriciamartin@habanerofilmsales.com