TropiCola on AllMovie

TropiCola is a video essay about two families in Havana, one white and one Afro-Cuban, who try to survive the economical and political restructuring of their country. The elderly of both families have experienced the revolution, whereas the young generation is not so much tied to the old ideals. Everyone tries to give shape to their own future in this new society which means a continuous battle between patriotism and desire to escape to greener pastures. 'TropiCola' is the Cuban alternative for Coca-Cola. One of the questions the film raises is whether this Cuban brand has a right to exist alongside Coke? Steve Fagin mixes documentary and soap opera to portray life in post-colonial Cuba during a period of transition, a period which the Cubans survive with creativity and invention. TropiCola was screened at the 1999 Rotterdam International Film Festival.