Okay, here's the situation. I was born in Havana. That makes me Cuban. But, I was raised in little Havana, which makes me Cuban-American. However, since I don't see Castro as the root of all evil in the universe, nor would I strangle him with my bare hands given the opportunity, I am a little out of step with my tribe. I always have been. And I really don't care. My dad, on the other hand, does care.
Back in Havana he was a revolutionary and fought alongside Castro for the freedom of the Cuban people. Then he had a falling out with his old friend and it was Miami, here we come. But his animosity towards Castro did not last and he soon wanted dialogue with the Cuban government.
Bombings, death threats and drive by shootings were a daily occurrence in our home. But who would do this to us? We were Americans. Surely, it must be the Communists, right? Wrong. My father became the focal point of the anti-Castro terrorists. These are Americans, people, like you and me. Well, not exactly. They were trained by the CIA. What most Americans don't know is that terrorism in America did not begin on September 11th. In the 1970s and 1980s, there was a reign of terror in Miami. There were as many as seven bombings in one day and hundreds per year. The culprits were not Communists. They were Americans. And my family was at the epicenter. Bombs away. - Director Vivian Lesnick
With a childhood filled with bombings and assassination attempts on her father, the filmmaker explores her relationship with him and the Cuba he left behind. Through the prism of a daughter we explore the past, the present, and the nature of social responsibility and personal sacrifice. The movie contains highly controversial top-secret audiotapes of a CIA trained Cuban exile Terrorist who is in the middle of a trial and incarcerated by Homeland Security. His trial puts the Bush administration's War on Terror on trial as well. The audiotape excerpts are from an NYT reporter who refuses to turn over these tapes. The never before heard audiotapes will be hotly debated in the media.
- The First Coral at the 2007 Festival Internacional de Nuevo Cine Latino Americano (Havana International Film Festival)
- 2006 IFP Fledgling Fund Award for Best WIP Emerging Latino Filmmaker
- Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2008 Social Justice Award - Nominee
"Deeply personal and finely felt documentary" - New York Times
"Top Ten Tribeca Moments" - Time Out, New York
" A warm, witty and very revealing documentary....one of the best at [the] Florida Film Festival"- Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
Democracy Now! Interview with Director Vivien Lesnik Weismen and father Max Lesnik.
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