Neurótica Anónima Screening Marks a Cuban Triumph at Spain's Málaga Film Festival

The success achieved by the film Neurótica Anónima at the 29th Málaga Film Festival in Spain stands as another Cuban victory on the international stage, a triumph that today fills many people across the Caribbean nation with pride.

The satisfaction of seeing Cuban cinema succeed at the European event is also shared by the film’s creative team, led by director and co-screenwriter Jorge Perugorría alongside renowned actress Mirtha Ibarra, who once again shares scenes with Joel Angelino.

“Is the success of our artists too much simply for telling the truth at the press conference in Málaga about such a well-known issue as (Donald) Trump’s attempt to ‘strangle Cuba’?” wrote Alexis Triana, president of the Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry (ICAIC), on his Facebook page.

“The real wretches nurtured by Miami are enraged, as rogue as their American patrons,” he added in his message, accompanied by several videos capturing the atmosphere during the press conference and the film’s presentation.

It is worth highlighting the joy of Mirtha Ibarra, whose remarkable performances have shaped stories that remain in the memory of audiences in Cuba and abroad. Among them are La última cena (1976), Hasta cierto punto (1983), Adorables mentiras (1991), and Fresa y chocolate (1993).

“I am very excited about the reception that Neurótica Anónima received,” the actress said, although she admitted that there had been some uncertainty and expectations because the audience was different from the one in Cuba.

“The film was well received, and that was evident in an auditorium that gave it a standing ovation for several minutes,” she said in an interview.

She also recalled presenting the stage play of the same name in Spain about ten years ago. “And now coming back to present the film with Perugorría as director is extraordinary and a dream come true.”

In exclusive statements to Prensa Latina, the acclaimed Cuban actress explained that the film addresses two fundamental themes: violence against women and the revival of cinema as a communal viewing space.

“We wanted to pay tribute to Juan Carlos Tabío (1943–2021), creator of Plaff or Too Much Fear of Life (1988), which is why we titled it Neurótica Anónima or Without Fear of Life,” she noted.

Based on the stage play written and performed by Ibarra, the production is filled with cinematic references, while her character constantly sees herself as the protagonist, living outside reality—inside the world of film.