Aleida Guevara recuerda su padre, Che. (Aleida Guevara Remembres Her Father, Che)

Reviewed by Rafael Ocasio, Agnes Scott Coll., Decatur, GA -- Críticas, 7/15/2008

(U.S., 2006) color. Spanish (English subtitles). 34 mins. Oceanfilm. 2006. DVD. $24.95. DOCUMENTARY

Aleida Guevara, the oldest of Ernesto “Che” Guevara’s four children, here offers a personal account of her father, today a popular icon and an inspiration to Latin American leftist movements. Barely six years old when her father left for the fated excursion to Bolivia, where his life ended, Guevara dwells on her vague memories of Che as a loving father, portraying him as a playful family man. Of particular historical importance is her anecdote about having spoken to “Tío Fidel” (Uncle Fidel, i.e., Castro) before receiving the news about her father’s death in 1967. Meeting with the child of his right-hand comrade, Tío Fidel encouraged Aleida not to cry for heroes fallen in battle because theirs is an honorable death. This documentary presents a new dimension of a complex man, still hailed as the image of a true revolutionary. Highly recommended for large collections.