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The King of Havana

The King of Havana

Representation Score

9.0/10

Excellent

2015

Not Rated

Director

Agustí Villaronga

Runtime

125 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

The King of Havana is a gritty look at survival that delves into the fragmented lives of those on society’s fringes. It avoids a Western perspective by focusing on the specific socio-economic struggles of late-90s Cuba. The film effectively dismantles institutional authority, presenting state and social structures as sources of hardship rather than stability. However, it lacks clarity in representing specific disabilities, focusing instead on themes of hunger and misery.

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Category Breakdown

Does The King of Havana have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film highlights sex and passion as tools for survival. Though specific LGBTQ+ identities aren't confirmed, the emphasis on sexual liberation suggests a move away from restrictive social norms.

How does The King of Havana portray gender?

Good

Magda and Yunisleidy are shown as key partners rather than just domestic figures. The story challenges traditional family structures by focusing on flexible, survival-driven relationships.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The King of Havana?

Excellent

The film centers on a Cuban cast, providing authentic representation. By prioritizing the lived experiences of a underrepresented group in late-90s Havana, it avoids a Western perspective.

How does The King of Havana represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The story focuses on characters living outside formal structures, critiquing traditional institutions. It emphasizes individual survival and personal morality over state or religious rules.

Does The King of Havana include disability representation?

Fair

There is no explicit depiction of physical or neurodivergent disabilities. The film highlights physical vulnerability through themes of hunger and misery, but the role of disabled characters is unclear.

Present on Screen

  • Avoids a Western perspective by focusing on a Cuban cast and setting.
  • Critiques institutional stability in favor of individual survival.
  • Highlights female characters as key partners in their environment.

Limited or Absent

  • Does not explicitly address physical or neurodivergent disabilities.
  • Ambiguous about specific LGBTQ+ identities in the context of sexual liberation.

Official Synopsis

Recently escaped from reformatory, Reinaldo struggles to get by in the streets of Havana in the late 90s, one of the worst decades for Cuban society. Hopes, disillusionment, rum, good humor and above all hunger, accompany him in his wanderings, until he meets Magda and Yunisleidy, survivors like himself. In one or the other's arms, he will try to escape the material and moral misery surrounding him, living love, passion, tenderness and uninhibited sex to the limit.

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