 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
| The representative of the International
Forum of New Cinema of the Berlin Film festival, Peter B. Schumann, was
arrested by the Cuban authorities upon entering Cuba via the Havana airport.
He was intending to participate in the Festival of New Latin American Cinema.
After his arrest, Peter B. Schumann was brought into a prison of the Ministry
of the Interior and was denied contact with the German Embassy. Mr. Schumann
was told that he was arrested because of violating a two year immigration
ban. However Mr. Schumann was only informed about this immigration ban
at the moment of his arrest.
Peter B. Schumann is a widely recognized expert in Latin American Culture and especially in Latin American Cinema. For many years he has been a member of the selection committee of the International Forum of New Cinema of the Berlin Film Festival. Throughout his career, Mr. Schumann has been promoting Cuban Cinema. He introduced the feature film ,,Freza y chocolate" to the Berlin Film Festival competition where it was awarded a Silver Bear and became a world wide success. At the same time, Peter B. Schumann has given his support to the Human Rights Movement in Cuba and therefore was already victim of repressive Cuban measures in the past. One can therefore assume that through this illegal act he shall be prevented from contacts with the growing movement of interior opposition in Cuba. In the meantime, Mr. Schumann has been deported back to Berlin. The International Forum of the Berlin Film Festival has sent a sharp protest against this scandalous incident to the president of the Cuban Film Institute, Mr. Alfredo Guevara, and demanded that the immigration ban be lifted immediately. December 5, 1997 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|