Documentary film, Voices From Mariel, tells the stories of Cuban-Americans who risked their lives to come to America during the "Mariel Boatlift" thirty years ago, and those others who stayed in Cuba. Dr, Jose Garcia, associate professor and department chair of the Modern Languages Department at Florida Southern College, was one of the nearly 125,000 Cubans who came here in 1980. He had less than an hour to pack, and was unable to say goodbye to his friends. Last year he risked returning to Cuba to reconnect with friends and loved ones and to discover their stories during this time. He took with him a crew from NFocus Pictures.
This group has succeeded in portraying a powerful message about the human side of this historic event. In a recent interview, Jose Garcia said that he goal of the documentary was to tell the human and personal side of the Mariel Boatlift, leaving politics out of the equation. He also said that the "American Dream" had become exaggerated and glamorized over time to portray immigrants who come to this country with nothing and very quickly become rich and famous. "Voices from Mariel" tells the stories of people who have come here, worked hard, and have done well. Garcia said that he was touched by the Americans who have seen this film and clearly were moved by these stories. Also, he said that he couldn't describe in words the emotional experience of returning to Cuba, reconnecting with his friends and family, and returning to the home where he grew up.
Tonight's event at the Polk Theater will be a special event with an After Party in the mezzanine with hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar. After party tickets including general admission to the film are $20. 
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