Hecho a Mano: Creativity in Exile
About the documentary
Hecho a Mano is a half-hour documentary that interweaves the stories of four men, from their beginnings in Cuba to their early experiences in exile to today, exploring their dedication to their craft and their ability to create under often challenging circumstances. Utilizing renowned painter Chuck Close’s pronouncement on the nature of creativity as a point of departure, the film will chronicle the daily (but nevertheless heroic) act of “showing up and getting to work,” of making something out of nothing. Combining original interviews with footage of its four subjects in their respective elements—Hechavarría at the piano, López lovingly molding clay with his hands, the Currás brothers’ painstaking painting of individual tiles— Hecho a Mano is a documentary about life, exile, and the joy of working with your hands. Produced in Spanish with English subtitles.