HAVANA MOTOR CLUB Trailer

For many Cubans, the country’s recent economic reforms have drastically changed their hopes for the future. Access to decent wages, which had long been a demeaning struggle for its citizens, has them tasting things like stable markets, modern farming equipment, and premiere drag races.

Okay, so drag races aren’t the most important of dreams, but to its avid participants the return of sanctioned events means a little slice of heaven. We all have our passions, and the infectious nature of seeing people indulge in the things they love is one of the great joys of life.

The men in the documentary Havana Motor Club have pursued their passion for drag racing at great risk for decades, and with some pushing, they should be able to take advantage of the loosening rules to set up real races. You know, the kind that aren’t interrupted by cows. Their struggle should result in one of those minor but emphatic victories, and that’s always something I enjoy seeing.

Havana Motor Club offers a glimpse of a country outsiders don’t often get to see, and the struggles of director Bent-Jorgen Perlmutt to shoot this film shows why. Permits were difficult to acquire, and professional equipment was often confiscated at the border. Because of this, much of the film had to be shot on a Canon 5D, a full-frame DSLR camera that was small enough to make them look like tourists. Times may be changing, but not enough to allow us full access to a culture that surely has unique stories to tell. I suggest taking advantage of the peak Havana Motor Club worked so hard to get.

Havana Motor Club is directed by Bent-Jorgen Perlmutt and stars Carlos Alvarez, Jose ‘Jote’ Antonio Madera, and Armando ‘Pity’ Lorenzo Munnet. It will be released in the U.S. in theaters and online on April 8th, 2016. Further release dates are not currently known.

Are you more interested in the glimpses of Cuba or the inventively souped up cars? Let us know in the comments!