The Free Life: Portrait of an Artist

Short documentaries

Director: Matt Battaglia

Length: 23 minutes

No one can truly be free without the ability to live, work, and pursue happiness in their own way. It didn’t take long for artist Carlos Luna to learn that his home country of Cuba would allow none of those things. Under Fidel Castro’s repressive regime, Carlos had to choose between expressing himself or staying out of trouble with the authorities. Fleeing first to Mexico, where he met his wife Claudia, and then to the United States, Carlos found the ability to practice his art free from the threat of censorship or persecution. Today, Carlos is using his success to depict in vivid colors and bold brushstrokes the dangers of authoritarianism, as well as his personal antipathy towards Castro. Along with thousands of his fellow Cubans, Carlos has built a home and a family in the city of Miami, where he is finally able to live THE FREE LIFE.

For information on how to see this film, go to Free the People