Mi Pogolotti Querido (2010), 57 min. Enrica Viola, dir.

Mi Pogolotti Querido tells the story of Dino Pogolotti and the barrio in Havana, Cuba, that bears his name. Born in Giaveno (Turin province), Pogolotti immigrated to New York in 1895 and moved to Cuba with his wife Grace Joyce upon his appointment as secretary to the United States Consul. With money inherited from his father-in-law, he purchased large tracts of land on the outskirts of Havana and in 1911 developed a neighborhood modeled on European social housing. The first working-class neighborhood in Havana, Barrio Pogolotti is also known for its Afro-Cuban cultural identity. In this documentary, Enrica Viola offers portraits of life-long residents of Pogolotti who describe the significance the neighborhood holds for them. The film also shows the Pogolotti family narrative—from Dino to his son Marcelo, a modernist painter, to his granddaughter Graziella, a prominent Cuban essayist.

Post-screening discussion led by Jose Moya, Barnard College.