Commissioner Sarnoff Marks 50th Anniversary of the Bay of Pigs Invasion With Veterans and Documentary Filmmakers at Miami City Hall May 27
The film is an oral history project documenting the experiences of Rodriguez and the other 27 surviving brigade members who were part of a U.S.-backed invasion to help Cubans take back control of the island nation from Fidel Castro’s communist government. The film is a landmark piece because the interviews were conducted by groups of Miami high school students who were led by Momentum Miami, a group of individuals from the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Miami program.
“This film is truly an intergenerational effort that both serves to memorialize a historic moment and at the same time bring to life the human impact the invasion had on the brigade members, their families and on the Miami community,” Commissioner Sarnoff said.
Rodriguez, a decorated U.S. military officer and covert operative during the Cold War, spent much of his adult life fighting communism both in his homeland of Cuba and in Latin America. He is also a bestselling author of the biography “Shadow Warrior: the CIA Hero of a Hundred Unknown Battles.”
Stories From the Bay of Pigs was produced by the Miami World Cinema Center, the city’s first non-profit film studio. The film premiered March 31st, 2011 to a capacity-audience at Miami’s Tower Theater, in Little Havana. Since September of 2008, MWCC has worked with thousands of local filmmakers and community members through collaborations, productions, events, educational programs and screenings.
"MWCC is excited to be part of this very special screening at Miami City Hall,” said Patrick de Bokay, founder and CEO of the Miami World Cinema Center. “We are honored that a project like this, which bridges generations of Miamians linked through education, as well as the art and magic of filmmaking can be showcased and presented by Commissioner Sarnoff to the residents of our great city.”
There is no charge for admission to this event and free popcorn will be served before the start of the movie. Parking is available at City Hall at no cost. Services for the hearing impaired are available with at least one day notice – please call the District 2 office to make arrangements.
The film is part of the Movie Night series regularly hosted by Commissioner Sarnoff, who encourages residents of Miami to come down to City Hall and meet him and other elected officials.
For more information about the Movie Night series please contact William Plasencia at wplasencia@miamigov.com or (305) 250-5331 and reference the film.