obituary
Prieto began his film career as an assistant director in the film “Portrait of Teresa”
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Cuban filmmaker Lourdes Prieto dies. (Collage: EcuRed / ICAIC)
Cuban filmmaker Lourdes Prieto died in Havana at the age of 70, the victim of a “painful illness,” according to the Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry (ICAIC).
Prieto had been suffering from cancer for some time and eventually lost the battle against the disease. About her person the director Lourdes dels Sants say that she was an “excellent documentary filmmaker and assistant director of many Cuban films”.
In the late 1970s, the Cuban had her first approach to the world of cinema, acting as assistant director to Pastor Vega in the film “Portrait of Teresa”. From that moment she began a long career in the world of the seventh art until being promoted to the position of assistant director under which she collaborated with innumerable films.
Films by Lourdes Prieto as Assistant Director
- “Adorable Lies”, by Gerardo Chijona
- “Tropical Dream”, by Miguel Torres
- “Knocks on my door”, by Argentine Alejandro Saderman
- “Queen and King”, by Julio García Espinosa
- “The Elephant and the Bicycle” and “Waiting List”, both by Juan Carlos Tabío
Prieto also directed several documentaries where he used his own work team. Especially noteworthy is the story of “There is a group that says”, an audiovisual dedicated to the ICAIC Sound Experimentation Group. In addition, he directed the documentary “La petita Aché”, dedicated to the Cuban singer Mercedita Valdés.
He later made other documentaries such as “Daniel Santos, to enjoy Havana”, co-directed with José Galino, “The magic of the labyrinth”, about the writer Jaume Sarusky; “Angels and Demons Walk Together,” “Oriki by Mendive,” “Mirtha,” “In My Way,” “Evocation,” dedicated to Saul Yelin, and “The Guaracher is Me,” his latest work.
His work also extended to teaching at the Faculty of Audiovisual Media Arts (FAMCA) and the San Antonio International School of Film and Television (EICTV).
The news of the death has brought several messages of grief and condolences to family, friends and acquaintances.
“Sad news, we lost another valuable person, my condolences to his family.” “My deepest condolences for the death of a magnificent human being, a college classmate, a dear friend. One is already beginning to feel, or is, surviving.” “I’m really dismayed. I didn’t know Lourdes was sick. I hadn’t seen her since before the pandemic started. We had a good friendly relationship. My condolences to family and friends,” some commented.