BY KAREN BOSSICK
Cuban tobacco farmers get their due on Thursday when the Sun Valley Center for the Arts presents “Campesino,” a film written and directed by a local woman.
The 2018 film will be shown at 4:30 and 7 p.m. Thursday, March 7, at the Magic Lantern Cinemas in Ketchum as part of The Center’s 2018-19 Film Series.
“Campesino” offers a black and white peek into rural Cuba that few westerners have seen—a world that is on the brink of extinction.
In particular, it showcases Vinales, a rust-colored destination two hours west of Havana that is famous for growing some of the best tobacco in the world. Everything is done by hand there, including the plowing, which is done with oxen.
The film was made over 15 years by an amateur photographer named Carl Oelerich, who works as a skycap at the Salt Lake City airport. It was written and directed by the Wood River Valley’s Mia Tate, who recently learned that her film was one of 10 documentaries to be accepted into the Competition Section of the 28th annual Florida Film Festival.
It also has been screened at the Sedona International Film Festival and the film festival in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
“Mia has taken her film to the Portland Film Festival, the Montreal World Film Festival and the Bahamas International Film Festival. And now she brings it home to host a screening with The Center that will be followed by a Q&A, giving film fans giving film fans a chance to hear about this film came to life,” said Kristine Bretall, who arranged the film’s screening
Tickets are $10 for Center members and $12 for nonmembers. To purchase, visit www.sunvalleycenter.org, call 208-726-9491 or visit The Center’s box office at 191 Fifth St. East in Ketchum.