Episode 151: Duo’s Film Club - Fresa y chocolate

For today’s episode, Duo’s Film Club has a cult classic from Cuba, Fresa y chocolate, which broke barriers in the world of cinema. It tells the story of two unlikely friends and sends a powerful message of acceptance and diversity, while showcasing Cuba’s amazing culture and the warmth of its people.

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Transcript

Martina: Hola, listeners! I’m Martina Castro, and I don’t know about you, but I’ve been loving Duo’s Film Club — the newest season of the Duolingo Spanish Podcast. Today we’ll dive into the final episode of the series.

All season, we’ve been exploring some of the most iconic Spanish-language films. And whether you’ve seen them or not, you’re going to learn what makes these movies so special, in our signature bilingual format.

Movie Clip: —No pude resistir la tentación… ¡Me encanta la fresa!

Martina: I'll be honest, I hadn’t seen this movie, Fresa y chocolate, in ages, but I rewatched it for our film club. And it's definitely different from the other movies in this season. It's got a different pace and a different vibe. But it's a true gem of Cuban cinema. You might have heard of it, because Fresa y Chocolate is one of the most well-known Cuban films around the world. And it’s the only Cuban film that’s ever been nominated for an Oscar.

Movie Clip: —Uy… hoy es mi día de suerte. Encuentro maravillas…

Ariana: Es una película sobre el amor, pero sobre el amor en general. Amar a otra persona que tiene otras opiniones, otra actitud en la vida, otras ideas y… otra sexualidad.

Martina: I’m very happy to welcome Ariana Landaburo, our special guest for today’s episode. She’s originally from Cuba, and studied art history at la Universidad de La Habana. Lucky for us, she’s a huge fan of this movie and she’s going to share how it inspired filmmakers and viewers around the world.

So, you know what to do next. Grab some popcorn and get comfy because we’re about to learn so much about this ground-breaking film! Please keep in mind that Fresa y chocolate is rated R. But our episode today is suitable for listeners of all ages.

Before we talk about what makes this movie so special, let’s review some essential Cuban history. The movie takes place in Havana, Cuba, or La Habana, in the late 1970s. About 20 years after Fidel Castro took power in the Cuban Revolution, or La revolución. It’s important to remember Fresa y chocolate was funded by the state and had to be approved, so it only reveals aspects of Cuban life that the regime allowed to be highlighted. It didn’t touch issues that Cuban authorities have been reluctant to acknowledge, like racial discrimination. Here’s Ariana.

Ariana: La revolución cubana comenzó en 1959 para destruir el gobierno del dictador Fulgencio Batista. Desde ese momento, hubo muchos cambios en todo el país. La historia de Fresa y chocolate ocurre a finales de 1970. En este período, los efectos de la revolución se sentían mucho en la sociedad cubana.

Martina: Many people in Cuba embraced the revolution, its socialist ideals and policies. But others faced discrimination and were marginalized because they didn’t completely follow the regime’s policies, which, to be clear, were very homophobic. And we see that reflected in the two protagonists of Fresa y chocolate.

First, we meet David, a young university student who is passionate about the revolution. Then there’s Diego. He’s a middle-aged gay artist, and he’s frustrated by the regime’s censorship of the arts and persecution of the LGBTQ community.

Ariana: El personaje de Diego es increíble. Es un intelectual gay que ama la cultura de su país porque sabe muy bien que Cuba no es solo la revolución. Pero también es un revolucionario porque cree que el arte puede cambiar las cosas. Y David es un chico que quiere ser escritor, pero su misión revolucionaria es más fuerte que él. Es un joven del partido comunista y heterosexual que cree en el gobierno.

Martina: They’re basically polar opposites. Then, by chance, the two men meet at an ice cream shop. But after David learns that Diego’s gay, he decides to spy on him. Because again, David is part of the Communist party, partido comunista, and he really believes in the revolution's ideals. The new government saw homosexuality as dangerous, so David feels it’s his duty to report him. But after spending time together, an interesting dynamic develops between these two main characters.

Ariana: Durante toda la película se ve la tensión entre el deseo de Diego y la resistencia de David.

Martina: Now that we’ve covered the basic plot, let’s explore why this film is so treasured. One reason is that it shows everyday life in Cuba in the 1970s, like the scene in the ice cream shop, or heladería, where David and Diego meet. It’s called “Coppelia,” and Ariana tells us it’s one of her favorite spots in La Habana.

Ariana: Coppelia es muy importante en La Habana. ¡Es un lugar increíble! Es una heladería enorme, el edificio es maravilloso y es especial. En Cuba hace mucho calor y el helado es algo fresco. Esa era la heladería más grande que había, entonces, la gente pasaba horas ahí esperando para comprar su helado.

Martina: We also hear local music on the streets. The characters walk along the water in La Habana. And we see the city’s gorgeous architecture at Diego’s apartment.

Ariana: La arquitectura de La Habana vieja es una de las más extraordinarias de todo América. El apartamento de Diego está en un edificio histórico, con techos altos y balcones hermosos. Su casa también es característica de la cultura cubana. Diego tiene muchos objetos importantes de la literatura cubana, como fotos de José Lezama Lima, el famoso escritor cubano.

Martina: I love all these details! There’s so much culture to explore. But what makes Fresa y chocolate such a brave film is the friendship between David and Diego. The director, Tomás Gutiérrez Alea, reveals in a very powerful way, how difficult it was for gay people in Cuba to be accepted. Ariana explains that freedom for the LGBTQ community was severely limited on the island until the 2000’s.

Ariana: Hasta finales de la década del setenta, la revolución decía que la homosexualidad era una enfermedad. Y, aunque hubo progresos, creo que todavía es un tema tabú en la sociedad.

Martina: When Fresa y chocolate was released in 1993, the idea of acceptance was still revolutionary in Cuba and around the world, which was grappling with the AIDS crisis. But this movie broke that silence in a significant way. It spread a message of support for the LGBTQ community in Cuba and beyond, inspiring other filmmakers to tackle social issues in their films.

Ariana: La importancia de la película es grande porque fue una de las primeras en hablar de la homosexualidad. Después de esa película, empezaron a hacer documentales y otras películas sobre estos temas. Fue una pionera. Yo vi esta película en los años 2000, 10 años después de su estreno, y era la primera vez que veía una película cubana sobre la homosexualidad. La vi cuando comencé a estudiar artes en la universidad y fue impresionante para mí. Recuerdo que lloré mucho, mucho porque es una historia muy hermosa.

Martina: Now let’s go to a scene from the movie, for an extra learning moment, in our segment ponle play, or “press play,” so you can deepen your cultural understanding.

For today, we picked one of the opening moments of the movie because it explains the title Fresa y chocolate. And, you’re gonna get some extra practice listening to the Cuban accent. Are you ready? Here we go.

Movie Clip: —Con permiso. No pude resistir la tentación… ¡Me encanta la fresa!

Martina: We see the busy ice cream shop, Coppelia, and Diego takes a seat at David’s table. They’re strangers, but Diego wants to try and pick up the handsome student. David is clearly uncomfortable as Diego begins to eat his strawberry ice cream.

Movie Clip: —Mmmmm… Es lo único bueno que hacen en este país. Ahorita lo exportan y para nosotros agua con azúcar. Uy… hoy es mi día de suerte. Encuentro maravillas…

Martina: Diego makes a joke about the government exporting the good ice cream and keeping a watery version for Cubans. He keeps chatting, but when David glances at the artist’s books, Diego turns the conversation to authors. He even mentions some writers who were banned in Cuba. That’s when David reveals his red ID card for the Communist Party, moving it from one shirt pocket to another. It’s a sign that the young revolutionary could denounce Diego for having these books. Diego responds with this comment:

Movie Clip: Mmmm… capté. Solo puedes leer los libros que te autorizan en la juventud.

Martina: Diego is clearly stirring the pot! He knows his books are banned, and he mocks David because he follows the rules of la juventud, the youth league of Cuba’s Communist Party. But that doesn’t stop the two from becoming friends later. One thing that stands out to me is how this scene sets up the movie’s title. Here’s Ariana’s explanation of the scene.

Ariana: Fresa y chocolate es una metáfora de los personajes y de su relación. El chocolate representa el lado masculino y heterosexual, y la fresa representa el lado homosexual y femenino. Es un título que representa las personalidades y los estilos de vida de los protagonistas. Son muy diferentes, pero tienen una relación profunda.

Martina: If you’ve been listening to Duo’s Film Club, you know what comes next! We have some datos curiosos that we think will give you some extra inspiration and behind-the-scenes trivia about the movie. I’m excited to share the fun facts Ariana has for us.

Here we go, fun fact number one. The actor who played Diego, Jorge Perugorría, portrayed a sophisticated and cultured artist. But, off screen, Perugorría was living a very different reality. In the early 1990s, when the film was made, there was an economic crisis in Cuba. So like many other people, the actor went to great lengths to feed his family. And this had an impact on screen!

Ariana: La crisis de la comida en Cuba fue horrible. Entonces, las familias decidieron criar animales en sus casas o departamentos. Perugorría tenía cerdos en su casa. Y hay una historia que ocurrió durante el rodaje de la película. A lo mejor no saben, pero a Perugorría también le dicen “Pichi”. Y, un día, Pichi llegó al set con las manos destruidas, como una persona que trabaja en el campo. Entonces, la maquilladora le dijo: “¡Pichi! ¿Qué hiciste? ¡Pareces un trabajador del campo! Pero tu personaje es una persona delicada”.

Martina: Fun fact number two is about how the film was received by everyday people in Cuba during the country’s annual film festival. It drew a lot of attention, and when it was released abroad in the U.S., it became a box office hit.

Ariana: El estreno de la película en el Festival de Cine de La Habana fue impresionante. Cuando encendieron las luces, muchas personas estaban llorando en la sala. La gente aplaudió muy fuerte durante diez minutos. ¡Fue una película muy conmovedora!

Martina: And now fun fact number three. We mentioned earlier that most of the movie takes place in Diego's apartment. It’s inside a magnificent building with marble floors and tall ceilings. Well, it turns out that the movie made Diego’s guarida, or den, so famous that tourists wanted to visit!

Ariana: Los dueños de la casa decidieron transformarla en un restaurante y ahora se llama “Paladar la guarida”. Muchos turistas vieron la película y querían visitarlo, pero, ¡no solo los turistas! Yo también fui y me tomé una foto con Rocco, la nevera de Diego. En el restaurante todavía hay objetos que vemos en la película. ¡Ah, y la comida es deliciosa! Allí comí un pescado muy rico.

Martina: Okay, that was our last, official fun fact. But we have one more for those who’ve seen the movie, because… It’s a spoiler! So if you haven’t watched Fresa y chocolate yet, come back when you’ve seen it, or skip ahead to the end.

Alright, here it is. Near the end of the movie, Diego makes a desperate choice. After being blacklisted by the government, he decides to leave the island. In what is likely their last time seeing each other, the two friends have ice cream one more time. But get this: now it’s David — the young, straight revolutionary — who chooses the strawberry ice cream. It’s a moment that brings us back full circle to the opening of the film, and it shows that Fresa y chocolate is more than just a clever title. Ariana explains how it’s a symbol for their friendship and the film’s central message.

Ariana: Al final de la película, cuando su relación es más fuerte, David y Diego regresan a Coppelia. Pero, esta vez, David elige el helado de fresa. El comienzo de la película es muy diferente porque Diego y David no están cómodos, pero, al final, podemos ver que son excelentes amigos. Creo que ese es el verdadero mensaje de la película: la fuerza de la diversidad y el respeto.

Martina: What a powerful message to conclude this episode, and this special season of the Duolingo Spanish Podcast, Duo’s Film Club!

Thank you to our guest, Ariana Landaburo. She’s currently living in Mexico City and works as a TV and film producer.

Ariana: ¡Ciao! ¡Nos vemos!

Martina: And that’s a wrap on Duo’s Film Club! We'd love to know what you thought of this series! You can write us an email at podcast@duolingo.com or send us an audio message on WhatsApp, at +1-703-953-93-69. And don’t forget to say your name and where you’re from!

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The Duolingo Spanish Podcast is produced by Duolingo and Adonde Media. Our managing editor is David Alandete. Our senior editor is Laura Isensee. This season was produced by Tali Goldman and special thanks to all of our guests!

We had conversations with Ana Laura Perez, Paula Grinzpan, Mauricio García, David Bernal, and Ariana Landaburo.

Our sound designers were Mariano Pagella, Mauricio Mendoza, and Andrés Fechtenholz. Andrés was also our assistant producer. Our mixing & mastering engineer was Daniel Murcia. Luis Gil was our mix supervisor. Our production manager was Román Frontini, and our production coordinator was Nicolás Sosa. Special thanks to Lorena Galliot and Giovana Romano Sánchez for fact-checking.

Duolingo story editing and Spanish-language support were provided by Alexa Fernández, Laura Macomber, Lorena Kanzki, María Mandelli, Gina Rovirosa Trujillo, Paula Cañón, and María Abascal. Special thanks to Tim Shey.

I’m the executive producer and your host, Martina Castro. ¡Gracias por escuchar!

Credits

This episode was produced by Duolingo and Adonde Media.