Fidel Castro is undoubtedly one of the most controversial figures of the last 100 years. From the era of Eisenhower to that of George W. Bush, Castro has ruled Cuba and maintained extraordinary world attention. NOBODY LISTENED reveals Castro’s brutal methods for sustaining his longevity, and forces us to listen closely to accounts rarely taken seriously before. Former Castro comrades, life-long Communist party leaders, writers, and intellectuals – as well as unrepentant supporters of fallen dictator Fulgencio Batista – appear and testify in gripping detail about the seedy underbelly of Cuba's police state. NOBODY LISTENED is a burning polemic with style to spare. Co-directed by Academy Award®-winning cinematographer Nestor Almendros (DAYS OF HEAVEN, THE LAST METRO), NOBODY LISTENED whirls about and makes its points with style, verve, and wit. It is a story no one can afford to miss. This first ever DVD release includes a special update, created specifically for this edition by co-director Jorge Ulla.

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Inside the BookTV Bus, Humberto Fontova was interviewed about his book Fidel: Hollywood's Favorite Tyrant, published by Regnery Publishing. He spoke about the media's affixation with the Cuban dictator. Mr. Fontova also discussed political prisoners and a decline in health care.
Miami Book Fair International
Begin Time End Time Network
2005-11-20 14:58:03 11/20/2005 15:11:14 C-SPAN 2

indicates a live airing indicates a future airing
Name Title Org. Dept.
Fontova, Humberto Author - -
Slen, Peter Executive Producer C-SPAN Washington Journal

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Inside the BookTV Bus, Humberto Fontova was interviewed about his book Fidel: Hollywood's Favorite Tyrant, published by Regnery Publishing. He spoke about the media's affixation with the Cuban dictator. Mr. Fontova also discussed political prisoners and a decline in health care.
Miami Book Fair International
Begin Time End Time Network
2005-11-20 14:58:03 11/20/2005 15:11:14 C-SPAN 2

indicates a live airing indicates a future airing
Name Title Org. Dept.
Fontova, Humberto Author - -
Slen, Peter Executive Producer C-SPAN Washington Journal

Open C-span Player


The Fourth Raleigh International Spy Conference covered the topic of “Castro and Cuba: The Inside Story.”

One panel of experts discussed "Castro and Cuba: Then and Now." Topics included Castro’s childhood, Castro’s leadership and speaking abilities, comparisons with other world leaders, the Cuban Missile Crisis, Cuba and the Soviet Union, the Vietnam War, and Cuban refugees. After their remarks, the panelists responded to audience members’ questions.

Mr. Latell wrote After Fidel: the Inside Story of Castro's Regime and Cuba's Next Leader, published by Palgrave Macmillan. Mr. Fontova wrote Fidel: Hollywood's Favorite Tyrant, published by Regnery Publishing.
North Carolina Museum of History
[Raleigh (NC) Metro Magazine]
Begin Time End Time Network
2008-02-14 06:49:35 02/14/2008 07:59:59 C-SPAN 3
2008-02-14 00:49:08 02/14/2008 02:00:23 C-SPAN 3
2006-09-03 13:48:43 09/03/2006 14:59:57 C-SPAN 1
2006-09-03 00:46:42 09/03/2006 01:57:56 C-SPAN 1
2006-09-02 21:46:29 09/02/2006 22:58:02 C-SPAN 1

indicates a live airing indicates a future airing
Name Title Org. Dept.
Bohning, Don Editor (Former) Miami Herald Latin America
Fontova, Humberto Author - -
Latell, Brian S. Intelligence Officer (Former) Central Intelligence Agency Latin America Region
Naftali, Timothy J. Associate Professor University of Virginia Miller Center of Public Affairs
Padilla, Art Associate Professor North Carolina State University Management
Poteat, S. Eugene President Association of Fmr. Intelligence Officers -
Reeves, Bernie Editor Raleigh (NC) Metro Magazine -

Sorr no subs on this one currently
Here is one of those films you wait around for hoping it might pop up with subtitles. And once again it is Vladtepesblog who provides the goods neccesary for our online enlightenment. This is most appreciated.
The story of Ernesto "Che" Guevara de La Serna as told by people close to him from the time of his first meetings met Cuban revolutionaries until his death in 1967.

From the movie website
"Through testimony of those that knew him and fought with him the mythical "Che" is demystified. The video shows the other and darker side of the man behind the myth.

From the Cuba revolution via the failed international campaigns over cultural icon to mass marketing image. That is the "road" the image of Che followed. This video wants to show the man behind this varied myth. As so often reality is a lot uglier than the myth.

What will be the long term legacy of Che? Will he survive the inevitable exposure by history of what remains hidden today? Today the myth still inspires people. They desperately want to deny the reality behind that myth. But mythical men fall from their pedestal. Even his own grandson has referred to Fidel Castro as a "dictator" and Cuba as a "state capitalist" country. "


It is important to remember that we live in a time where the cultural elite applauds Benicio del Toro as he dedicate the prestigious "Best Actor" award in Cannes to "the man himself" Che Guevara. I could come upon no better symbol of the intellectual bankrupcy of the "creative class".
How can they applaud a devout admirer of Stalin and Mao? Does their creative imagination not allow them to picture what life is like when a region of millions of people are dying as a consequence of controlled famines? Do they understand the horror of eating your own?
...Here, have another Hors d´euvre Monsieur Toro. Would you like another frogleg to go with that Champagne?



This disgraceful behaviour reminds me of a crucial passage in Platos "Republic" Book X, where he lets Socrates contemplate the dishonesty and hedonist character of the arts.

"The imitative art is an inferior who marries an inferior, and has inferior offspring
(...)
Then the imitative poet who aims at being popular is not by nature made, nor is his art intended, to please or to affect the principle in the soul; but he will prefer the passionate and fitful temper, which is easily imitated?
- Clearly.
And now we may fairly take him and place him by the side of the painter, for he is like him in two ways: first, inasmuch as his creations have an inferior degree of truth --in this, I say, he is like him; and he is also like him in being concerned with an inferior part of the soul; and therefore we shall be right in refusing to admit him into a well-ordered State, because he awakens and nourishes and strengthens the feelings and impairs the reason. "

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Humberto Fontova talked about his book Exposing the Real Che Guevara and the Useful Idiots Who Idolize Him, published by Sentinel. He argued that the popular image of Che Guevara as a righteous freedom fighter is in reality far off the mark. He said that Guevara was overrated as a soldier and was responsible for the execution of many hundreds of his political enemies. He also talked about Fidel Castro and Cuba. After his remarks, the author signed copies of his books for a while, and then returned to the podium to answer audience members’ questions.

This event was held in the Rayburn House Office Building.

Gisele Bundchen wears him on the runway, Johnny Depp wears him around his neck, and Benicio Del Toro becomes him in the new, highly acclaimed, two-part epic film from Steven Soderbergh, Che. Ernesto "Che" Guevara, the revolutionary who helped found communist Cuba, is the celebrity that celebrities adore. And be it Madonna, Rage Against the Machine, or Jay-Z, musicians really dig Che.

It’s something that baffles Cuban jazz legend Paquito D’Rivera. “Che hated artists, so how is it possible that artists still today support the image of Che Guevara?” Turns out the rebellious icon that emblazons countless T-shirts actually enforced aesthetic and political conformity. D’Rivera explains that Che and other Cuban authorities sought to ban rock and roll and jazz.

“Che was an inspiration for me,” D’Rivera tells reason.tv. “I thought I have to get out of this island as soon as I can, because I am in the wrong place at the wrong time!” D’Rivera did escape Cuba, and so far he’s won nine Grammy awards playing the kind of music Che tried to silence. But D’Rivera says Che’s crimes didn’t end with censorship. “He ordered the execution of many people with no trial.” Che served as Castro’s chief executioner, presiding over the infamous La Cabana prison. D’Rivera says Che’s policy of killing innocents earned him the nickname—the Butcher of La Cabana.

“We’re rightly horrified by fascist murderers like Adolph Hitler,” says reason.tv’s Nick Gillespie. “Why aren’t we also horrified by communist killers?” Certainly, Che’s body count isn’t anywhere near Hitler’s. But what about someone Che idolized, someone whom he might have liked to wear on his chest?

“Che, Castro, all the communist regimes idolized only one thing that Mao personifies—violence.” Kai Chen grew up in China under the reign of Mao Zedong. Although he won gold medals for China’s national basketball team, Chen’s was far from the celebrity life of an NBA star. Says Chen, “You have no right to talk, and you have no right to think.”

The punishment for questioning Mao’s authority was often death. The Black Book of Communism estimates that Mao is responsible for the deaths of 65 million people—a figure that dwarfs even Hitler’s body count. “Mao is a murderer,” says Chen. “The biggest mass murderer in human history.”

And yet, like Che, Mao’s image is becoming an increasingly popular way to move merchandise. You can buy Mao t-shirts, mugs, caps—you name it. Near Chen’s Los Angeles home there’s even a restaurant called Mao’s Kitchen. “Can you imagine a restaurant called Hitler’s Kitchen?” asks Gillespie.

Neither D’Rivera nor Chen understands why communist killers are considered Chic, but each finds his own way to have the last laugh on these anti-capitalist icons.

"Killer Chic" is written and produced by Ted Balaker. Director of Photography is Alex Manning.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5911805686509043935

Thanks to simpotemba
"Crisis in the Americas" addresses how Chavez is turning his country into a forward base for terrorists from around the world including such organizations as Hezbollah and Hamas. This sanctuary offers terrorists a safe haven in which they can organize and plan their continued assault on civilization while offering a springboard for access to our unsecured Southern border as well as connections to the criminal networks operating there.

This documentary offers insight into how the Castro-Chavez axis, which together with their allies, are seeking to undermine democracy and free-market institutions in the western hemisphere. Unfortunately, the Chavez government is also seeking alliances with nations that are openly hostile to the United States such as Iran and North Korea as well as nations who are increasingly opposing the interests of America and its allies such as China and Russia.

"Crisis in the Americas" brings this threat out of the shadows and into America's living rooms. It offers footage that has never been seen in America and names the names of those in political and media circles who are assisting Chavez in his "political war" on America. In addition the analysis "connects the dots" to illustrate just how dangerous the Chavez régime really is and how a "global axis of evil is in formation through Caracas Venezuela."

Currently copies of this documentary are only available through our website to our members but we are hoping to find a broadcast partner who can bring this message to all Americans.

www.crisisintheamericas.org

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7621579934904198438&hl=en

Castro's Torture / Torturas de Castro - 58:53 - Jan 16, 2007
Caiman Productions - kattolikamente.splinder.com

Spanish with english subs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRzL8krclVQ
Fidel Castro came to power in Cuba on December 31, 1959. Expropriation, nationalization of the industry and the departure of more than two and a half million Cubans followed.


But also the advancement of health care and education, and a continuing struggle to turn Cuba into an ideal communist state. In Miami the great countdown has begun. The Cubans who have fled the socialist experiment over the past 45 years have faith again. The momentum is there, or at least close, so the exiles in Miami hope. They'll soon be able to take possession of Cuba again and start reconstruction, from communist utopia to Caribbean investment paradise. In Miami, where 1.2 million Cuban exiles live, Cuban organizations, companies and people are ready for the post-Castro era. This documentary takes stock of the scenarios people in Miami envision for Cuba after Castro and of thepossible consequences for the island and its inhabitants.

Director: Gijs Meyer Swantee, Doke Romeijn
Producer: Frank Wiering