Synopsis

As the international press pours into Havana, Cuba to report on the death of Fidel Castro, a little girl proudly holds a large cardboard sign over her head on the Plaza de la Revolución. In a fascinating shot lasting almost 12 minutes, we watch this girl—braids, red dress, white knee socks, fighting against the wind—as she experiences her moment in the spotlight. We can’t see what's written on the sign because she's being filmed from behind. Armed with cameras and cell phones, the people around her are taking countless photos and uninvited selfies with her. As the minutes tick by, our unease grows. Placed in the role of an ignorant spectator, we have time to contemplate the omnipresence of the camera—and we become desperate to know what’s written on that sign.Harmony is broken when games among the adolescents turn violent, triggering a conflict that causes severe damage to the crop Migue cares for and leads to a confrontation with Don Mito, the landowner. In a desperate act to protect the crop, Migue commits a crime in a distant town, sparking a revolt in which he is accused of theft and brutally attacked. Unable to bear such hostility, Migue flees to the mountains in search of refuge.