Los Angeles, California Feb 2, 2019 (Issuewire.com) - The Pan African Film Festival (PAFF), the largest and most prestigious black film festival in America, has selected Dare to Dream, a documentary about Cuba’s Latin American School of Medicine, to be part of its Official Selection. “We are beyond thrilled to be a part of this prestigious festival,” remarked Dare to Dream director Jennifer Wager.
Dare to Dream chronicles the stories of US students who have received full scholarships to study medicine in Cuba at the Escuela Latinoamericana de Medicina (ELAM). With nearly 30,000 graduate doctors worldwide, ELAM is one of the largest medical schools in the world. Cuba has offered medical scholarships to low-income students from countries around the world with the understanding that once students graduate they will return home and serve in medically underserved areas.
Nearly 200 US students, mainly young people of color and predominantly of African descent, have graduated from the program. Thousands of young people from Angola, South Africa, Brazil, and several Caribbean countries have also graduated as doctors from ELAM.
US students are recruited for the ELAM scholarships by the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization (IFCO) which has historically partnered with Cuban churches and NGOs on humanitarian projects as a challenge to the US blockade of Cuba. Gail Walker, the Executive Director of IFCO who is featured in the film, said: “ELAM is a gift to the world from Cuba and we are honored that IFCO can help facilitate the wonderful scholarship program for students in the US.”
Dare to Dream was produced after several years of filming in Cuba and is the work of an all-female crew. The film has been selected by more than a dozen US and international film festivals and won Best Director and Audience Choice Documentary at two festivals.
Screenings will take place in LA at various times. For a full schedule please see www.paff.org. Screenings: Sun, Feb 10@4:25p; Fri, Feb 15@4:30p; Sat, Feb 16@6:30p.
Media Contact
Dare to Dream profjwager@gmail.com 646-450-2027 http://www.dare2dreamcuba.com
