This movie was very attention grabbing. There was a lot of real life struggles and absolutely nothing hidden about the lives of these people. The change in the lives of Elio and his sister, Lila, as they grow up has a huge impact on their lives. They need each other because their family is breaking apart. They want to help their mother but end up leaving her. A friend Elio makes at work changes their lives when he convinces Elio to leave with him to Miami. The movie is based off of a true story and the fact that Elio dies out in the water and Raul and Lila end up back in Cuba with no happy ending. Even in American films based off of true stories they are mini pulsates to end the way the directors would expect the viewers to want. There is no crowd appeal in these films the truth is given with no cushion. Overall I think it was a well acted and well directed film.

Lucy Mulloy's UNA NOCHE is exquisitely edited. There are maybe two or three clichéd shots, which stand out precisely because the film as a whole is so fluent and sure handed in its visual rhythms. It is, broadly speaking, divided into two sections, both as a film and as a story: the second, which centers on the life-changing night referred to in the title, and the first, which leads up to it. In the transition from the first to the second part, a stylistic shift occurs.The lead-up is narrated by Lila, the female protagonist, a teen-aged Cuban concerned about her brother, Elio, who is plotting to leave Havana for Miami on a rickety raft that he is constructing with his friend Raúl. His motives for leaving are more complex than it seems, but Lila only feels the impending loss that his parting would represent. She shadows him, and tracks down and tries to thwart his plan, and ultimately accompanies the two boys in their escape... READ MORE:http://osburnt.com/una-noche/

Lucy Mulloy's "Una Noche" (One Night) takes you into the depths of the Cuban culture and exposes how far its main characters are willing to go to find a better life. Daniel Arrechaga, who plays Raul, is an energetic free spirit who's been drowning in the sedentary existence of his mundane job while at the same time trying to sell and trade whatever he can to support his HIV positive prostitute mother. But time is running out as Raul's gets restless and proceeds to unintentionally create a situation for himself that will force him to flee in order to avoid prosecution. His childhood friend Elio (Javier Núñez Florián) and sister Lila (Anailín de la Rúa de la Torre) are in similar desperate situations as they find themselves facing daily austerity in the face of an impending bleak future. Raul's unawareness of Elio's feelings towards him makes matters ever more interesting as both men choose to embark on an odyssey at sea on a made up raft. Their plans are altered by Lila, a sudden addition to their trip. With only a concept and very little to work with, this threesome sets out to sea hoping to survive the treacherous and at times life threatening waters in order find a new life in Miami. All three find themselves in a dicey situation as Lila's menstruation becomes a call to feast from hungry sharks and a catalyst to an unnerving and troubling ending.The leads performances and fascinating look into surviving a very repressed Cuban society with stern consequences for those who choose to engage in minor infractions, is what makes this remarkable and sexually charged feature a journey you will never forget.

Some of the most sought after tickets at Tribeca 2012 were for the triple award winning Una Noche. A number of additional screenings sold out quickly, but there were still long queues of people hopeful to get in.So did it deserve all the hype? I certainly think so. As a Brit who has lived in Cuba, I think Lucy Mulloy's film captured the best and the worst of Havana perfectly. Beautifully shot in well known landmarks, but also off the beat locations, the film reveals parts of the city not only unfilmed, but rarely accessed by outsiders before. As an energetic ride through one day and night in raw and gritty Havana, Una Noche captures the passion of its people, the despair in their lives, but also the love and laughter they share.The non-actors performances were stunning, their natural presence and ability to light up the screen justifies the long search Mulloy undertook in Cuban schools to find them. Dariel Arrechada and Javier Nunez Florian shared a much deserved best actor award, proving they are real stars in the making.Lucy Mulloy fell in love with Cuba ten years ago and this passion shines through the whole film. Based on a true story, ironically the film began a real life drama of it's own when Javier Nunez Florian and Anailin de la Rua de la Torre fled in Miami without even making it to New York for the premiere in a much publicised case of life imitating art. Their defection is another story in itself, what Una Noche does is presents a rare and insightful view of a closely guarded country where many people make the choice of taking to the treacherous ninety miles of water between it and America. The final act of the journey on a makeshift raft ties everything the film is about together so well, optimistic youth, base human instincts, loyalty vs. selfishness and escape from a claustrophobic life. Una Noche really captures the real heart of Cuba. Having lived there, I was transported back to Havana in a way I've never been since leaving.