Fidel

As Fidel Castro nears 44 years as the leader of Cuba, there are many who see him as a champion of the poor and powerless and others who say he is a ruthless dictator. All agree that Fidel Castro, dismissed as a relic or revered as a savior, is one of the most influential and controversial figures of our time. Estela Bravo's documentary, "Fidel," offers a unique opportunity to view the man through exclusive interviews with Castro himself, historians, public figures and close friends, all coupled together with stunning, never-before-seen footage from the Cuban State archives. Alice Walker, Harry Belafonte, Jack Nicholson and Sydney Pollack discuss the personality of the man. Former and current US government figures including Arthur Schlesinger, Ramsey Clark, Wayne Smith, Congressman Charles Rangel and a former CIA agent offer political and historical perspectives on Castro and the long-standing US embargo against Cuba. Family members and close friends, including Nobel Prize-winning author Gabriel Garcia Marquez, offer a window into the personal life of Fidel. Bravo's camera captures him swimming with bodyguards, visiting his childhood home and school, joking with Nelson Mandela, Ted Turner and Muhammad Ali, meeting Elian Gonzalez, and celebrating his birthday with members of the Buena Vista Social Club Juxtaposing the personal anecdotal with the history of the Cuban revolution and the fight to survive the post-Soviet period, "Fidel" tells a previously untold story and presents a new view of this powerful and compelling figure.