Che would not have liked "Che"

Director Steven Soberbergh participated in a New York Film Festival press conference yesterday following a press screening of his four-hour Che, which is making its U.S. premiere at the festival.

"Any movie that actively portrays an unpolished life is to me a political film," Soderbergh said about his film. "I'm not a communist. There's no place for me in Che's perfect society. Che would have hated me. He didn't have much use for artists."

Inevitably, Soderbergh weighed in on the embargo debate, as any artist talking about modern-day Cuba must. "It's shocking to me," he said. "We haven't been very smart in how we played this. If we really want to change Cuba we should flood the island with tourists. That would bring a flood of ideas."

The film continues to divide audiences every time it's shown, which only makes me more eager to see it. You can watch a few clips from the press conference here.

Comments

[Revolutionary]

"Che would have hated me. He didn't have much use for artists."

Aww pobresito, give me a break. Just cause he had no place for artist doesn't mean he would have hated you.

[Fidel]

I thought it was pretty good.

[Ralph A]

Che would have had you killed within the first week of the "so-called" Revolution. It is basically all he did in Cuba.

[Pepe Pepito]

A movie about a muderer.

[patrick]

There have been a lot of movies about Hitler. About Stalin. About Charles Manson. I take the insinuation of "a movie about a murderer" to mean that you shouldn't MAKE such a movie? Everything I have read about Che Guevara convinces me he was a monster--and I am curious to see if he is presented as such in the film.

[Ed]

"We haven't been very smart in how we played this. If we really want to change Cuba we should flood the island with tourists. That would bring a flood of ideas." - this is a VERY good point!

[MaxMerc]

all u right wingers who refer to Che as a murderer..the correct term is Revolutionary..Che aided Castro in ridding Cuba of Mafioso Gangstas and Lowlifes that were running the island and eliminated [or at least tried to] the racist mind states of some white Cubanos against Darker skinned Cubans at that time..even going as far as beating them in the streets after dark..Honor Che ..he is immortal now

[Che Was Ordered to be Killed By Castro]

Che, camilo were killed on orders from castro.
Che brought hope to thousand but brought starvation to cuba with his failed economic plan

[Idilio]

You have to be an ignorant in cuban history to say that the flood of US turists to Cuba would do any good to the cuban people. Che is a stinky leader, a child murderer, a total failure... How could it be so possible that so many people are so wrong in this world?

[JM Guthrie]

I love it. I just love the Cuban mindset in Miami when they read anything about Che Guevara. Argentinian by birth, El Che was and is an Iconic figure bigger in Death than when living. Why did such a foolish idealist persists in trying to bring change in Latin America? Did he have in mind the Cuba or the Argentina of today? I seriously doubt it. No matter... He will forever live in the hearts of those who admire him and in the minds of those who hate him. As for me, I can't wait to see the Movie.

[Eric C. Padron]

The ignorance or indeed stupidity of the Hollywood community continues to astound me. Cuba has been inundated with tourists from all over the world for decades and still no change. What's makes this idiot believe that American tourists would somehow affect Cuba more than let's say tourists from Germany or Spain.

[Syed]

I don't know why we can't just enjoy a movie without the constant annoying comments from people that obviously abandoned their country for greener pastures as soon as they got the chance. And now 40 and 50 years later we still have to hear this incessant complaining about the "poor" treatment of the islanders by the Cuban government, when they themselves used these people as slaves and servants.

Who cares what you think about anything you deserters!!!!

[octavio de armas]

Che was a revolutionary, a murdered, a self loving person, an intelectual of wierd ideas. He was also an adventurer. He also put many Cubans to firing squad in La Cabana prison. He was an historical person. His fate has been decided by God long ago.

[Anonymous]

To the moron writing about deserters, learn some history. America is made up of immigrants who left their lands because they were persecuted (recall that the pilgrims fled because of religious persecution). Also, I understand why Che is often seen as a revolutionary, but if you do any reading you will find that he was a very dangerous human being. The man has admitted in interviews that had he had the capability, he would have launched nuclear weapons from Cuba at the U.S. during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Its one thing to be a revolutionary like Simon Bolivar and bring change to a country, but its another thing to kill off people to bring about change. We quickly forget that its things like that which lead to genocide. Once again, open your mind and you'll find Rwanda, a country that was ruled by the minority ethnic group, the Tutsis, and then nearly exterminated during the Rwandan genocide when the majority ethnic group, the Hutus, took power. There is a global class struggle, but Che's solution has often been that the only way to change the world, is by eliminating those in upper classes. Regardless of the class struggle, I don't think eliminating and killing other classes is how we should live.

[Tony Mendoza]

Does anyone know when the movie is coming out here in South Florida?

[kimbo]

Maxmerc...praising Che huh? i hope u don't live in miami homey...if you do..i'd say my prayers tonight before i go to sleep....

[Guy Pines]

Those guys from Vigilia Mambisa aren't going to like this. I bet all six of them show up at the Miami premiere to protest.

[Jorge]

CHE = worldwide hero, saint, icon

Only Reich-wing douchebags hate the man.

Hasta la Victoria Siempre !