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Epicentro

Synopsis

From world-renowned filmmaker Hubert Sauper — director of Sundance winner WE COME AS FRIENDS and the Oscar®-nominated DARWIN’S NIGHTMARE — comes EPICENTRO, an immersive and metaphorical portrait of post-colonial, “utopian” Cuba, where the 1898 explosion of the USS Maine still resonates. This Big Bang ended Spanish colonial dominance in the Americas and ushered in the era of the American Empire. At the same time and place, a powerful tool of conquest was born: cinema as propaganda. In EPICENTRO, Sauper explores a century of interventionism and myth-making together with the extraordinary people of Havana—particularly its children, who he calls “young prophets" — to interrogate time, imperialism and cinema itself.

The Filmmakers

Hubert Sauper Director

Hubert Sauper's sociopolitical and poetic films have awarded him with more than 50 renowned international film prizes on the festival circuit. Darwin's Nightmare received an Oscar nomination in the category Best Documentary Film. His documentary We Come As Friends released by the BBC America premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and also received numerous awards.

Hubert Sauper's films are always politically and socially motivated. He says that “the crucial decision is where and how to look, to listen, when to switch on a camera.” Filming in areas of traumatic human conflicts, areas where there is a significantly endangering geopolitical collision line and where the possibility of significant social crisis locally and internationally are high is driving Hubert Sauper’s narrative purpose, resulting into creative achievements for which he’s praised internationally.

Hubert is one of a few filmmakers in the world today who idiosyncratic way of filmmaking (proximity to his subjects, extraordinary work of visual journalism, etc) can guarantee a successful production process.

Daniel Marquet Producer

Daniel Marquet started his career in 1970 as assistant production manager on Jacques Tati’s picture’s Traffic. After his military service within the cinematographic department of the army, he integrated Telecip, TV Production Company affiliated to Polygram. This is a start of a 10 years period within the Polygram group. He successively served as commercial manager of Polymedia France, executive manager of the Film and TV division at Polygram GmbH headquartered in Hamburg, and Vice President International Marketing at Polygram Pictures in Los Angeles.

In 1983, Daniel Marquet leaves Polygram to join Filmaccord, a Canadian production outfit where he serves as General Manager. During his three years tenure, Filmaccord produces 2 pictures RECOVERY and YOUNG EINSTEIN.

In 1986, The Movie Group (TMG) as Executive Vice President recruits Daniel Marquet where he stayed 4 years. TMG, public company traded on the Nasdac, packaged, financed, and sold approximately 30 pictures worldwide including BUSTER, BEST OF THE BEST, KICK BOXER, CADENCE.

In 1990, after 10 years in Los Angeles, Daniel Marquet returns to Europe where he is asked by Pierre Lescure to create and manage the international department of the newly formed Studio Canal. The international department of Studio Canal is recognized as the leader in its field of sales and distribution. During the 12 years passed at Studio Canal, Daniel Marquet sold and marketed internationally pictures such as STRAIGHT STORY, GHOST DOG, MULHOLLAND DRIVE, CHICKEN RUN, THE SON’S ROOM, BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLVES, THE OTHERS.

Daniel Marquet was also Canal Plus and Studio Canal representative on boards such as PFC (video join venture between Pathé, fox and Studio Canal), 01 (distribution join venture with Rai Cinema) and Sogepac in Spain. He also served two years as Vice President of Unifrance. Since march 2004 Daniel Marquet has created GROUPE 1 specialized in international financing of European pictures. In June 2006 GROUPE 2 was created to produce a limited number of pictures.

Over the last 30 years, Daniel Marquet has built an extensive knowledge in the production, sales and distribution of feature films and maintained high level contacts worldwide in almost every aspect of the movie industry.

Martin Marquet Producer

Martin Marquet is an independent producer and publicist. He has worked on the releases of over 150 audiovisual projects around the world. The former director of communications and media partnerships for American film distributor Apparition, he was responsible for the theatrical release and promotion of films by Jane Campion, Floria Sigismondi and Nash Edgerton. He has represented and worked with dozens of filmmakers, including Joel and Ethan Cohen, Harmony Korine, Gasper Noe, Bruce Bereseford, James Marsh, Alexandros Avranas, Tim Sutton, Rachid Bouchareb, Gregg Araki, Liv Ullman, Jean-Jacques Annaud, Hubert Sauper, Hirokazu Kore-eda, Studio Ghibli and the Miyazaki Family, Wim Wenders, Luc Jacquet, Yann Arthus Bertrand, Bertrand Bonello and Laura Poitras to name a few.

Franco-American living in the US since 2005, Marquet was responsible for international promotions at Paramount Vantage, the independent division of the studio and oversaw the international release campaign for No Country For Old Men as well Brad Pitt’s Plan B produced A Mighty Heart directed by Michael Winterbottom. Prior to his two-year contract with Paramount Studios, Marquet’s first job in Hollywood was working as a publicist for DDA PR, the prime international promotional agency on behalf of which he represented titles at the Cannes and Sundance Film Festivals. Marquet also handled the launch of the retrospective of the restored films of Alejandro Jodorowsky as well as the classics catalog of Warner Bros overseeing DVD releases of the restored masters of Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Following his studies at the Atelier de Sèvres, Martin Marquet began his career in France at Films de Mon Oncle, dedicated to the restoration, distribution and promotion of Jacques Tati’s films. For over 18 months, he worked on the restoration, release and promotional tour of the restored 35mm and 70mm versions of Playtime.

As a producer, Marquet has helped finance and produce independents filmmakers such as Marie Losier, Tim Sutton and Alexandros Avranas, and he is currently producing Hubert Sauper’s new documentary among other film projects in development set for production in 2017.

Festivals & Awards

Sundance Film Festival

2020

World Premiere

Winner - Grand Jury Prize: World Cinema Documentary

CPH:DOX

2020

Official Selection

First Look Film Festival

2020

Opening Night Film

Reviews

One of '12 Movies We Loved at Sundance.' A brilliant mixture of historical-poetic analysis and a ground-level journey among the denizens of Havana ... [Sauper's] remarkable eye for lived-in detail and for spectacular imagery will mesmerize you.”

-Bilge Ebiri, Vulture

As aromatic as a fine cohiba cigar ... Sauper and his co-editor, veteran Yves Deschamps ... work the material with a remarkable fluidity and gracefulness that's consistently engaging and surprising.”

-Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter