| De cierta manera | |
| Director: | Sara Gómez |
| Starring: | Mario Balmaseda Yolanda Cuellar |
| Music: | Sergio Vitier |
| Cinematography: | Luis García |
| Editing: | Juan Varona |
| Distributor: | Tricontinental Film Center |
| Runtime: | 78 minutes |
| Country: | Cuba |
| Language: | Spanish English |
Spanish; Castilian: De cierta manera (also translated as One Way or Another) is a 1977 Cuban romantic drama film. Directed by Sara Gómez, the film mixes documentary-style footage with a fictional story that looks at the poor neighborhoods of Havana shortly after the Cuban Revolution of 1959. The film illustrates the history before the background of the development process in Cuba. It demonstrates how tearing down slums and building modern settlements does not immediately change the culture of the inhabitants.
Gómez completed filming with leading actors Mario Balmaseda and Yolanda Cuellar just before her death in June 1974 during the film's post-production.[1] Final work was initially credited to Tomás Gutiérrez Alea and Julio García-Espinosa before its posthumous release in 1977. Later, in 2021, however, editor Iván Arocha said he and cinematographer Luis García concluded the film following her initial plan.[2]
It was digitally restored by Arsenal Filminstitut in 2021.[3]
Yolanda, a female teacher, cannot find the best methods to teach the marginalized children of the Havana slums because of their different origins. Mario, a worker in a bus factory and a typical macho man, is confronted by Yolanda's instinct for emancipation. The two nonetheless become lovers. Their relationship portrays the idea that racism, sexism, and class-based prejudices must be demolished in order to succeed.