“Documentary ‘Cuba’ Opens at the Museum of Science & Industry” by S.M. O’Connor

The documentary Cuba (2019) opened at the Museum of Science and Industry’s Giant Dome Theater (formerly the Omnimax® Theater) on Friday, March 1, 2019.  This is Chicago’s only five-story cinema.  The film is screened using the Giant Dome Theater’s cutting-edge laser-projection system.

Peter H. Chang was the director, cinematographer (also known as director of photography), and one of the film’s producers.  Christopher Doyle, H.K.S.C., and Justin Henning were also cinematographers on the film.  Peter Zuccarini was the underwater cinematographer.  Robert Mooring wrote the script and was also one of the producers.  Mose Richards was also a writer on the film.

The Museum of Science and Industry (M.S.I.) stated, “Cuba combines state-of-the-art photographic technology and artistic storytelling to immerse audiences into the culture of this vibrant nation.  With unprecedented access, the filmmakers have captured the first giant screen footage of the island—including footage of Cuba’s cities, people, culture, celebrations, arts, coral reefs, wildlife, and aerial landscapes.”

According to the film’s producers, “CUBA tells the powerful story of a land preserved in time, yet poised on the cusp of dramatic change.  The nation’s vibrant culture, meticulously maintained colonial architecture, and pristine ecosystems provide a vivid window into the island’s history and spirit.  CUBA will transport audiences across breathtaking landscapes, under the ocean surface to iridescent reefs, and into streets throbbing with music and dance in the heart of [the Cuban capital city of] Havana.  Through the eyes of Cuban artists, historians, and scientists, the film provides an intimate look [at] this vivacious island nation.  Filmed exclusively for IMAX® and giant screen formats, CUBA reveals why Cuba continues to stir the imagination of the world.  CUBA is produced by Golden Gate 3D, in association with BBC Earth, Giant Screen Films and the Giant Dome Theater Consortium.”

Figure 1 Caption: Cuba is a land of scarcity, yet the fact the Cubans are still driving around decades-old American cars is testament to the ingenuity of people who had to fabricate new parts to keep their antique cars running.

Figure 2 Caption: Cuba (2019) provides audiences with views of the island’s culture, colonial architecture, and “pristine ecosystems,” according to the Museum of Science and Industry.

Figure 3 Caption: With unprecedented access, the filmmakers have captured the first giant-screen footage of Cuba.

In 2016, over 300,000 people visited the M.S.I.’s Omnimax® Theater, which opened in the Henry Crown Space Center in 1986.[1]  In May of 2017, the Museum of Science and Industry unveiled a state-of-the-art projection system in the Omnimax® Theater, which it renamed the Giant Dome Theater to emphasize the change in projection technology.  The Museum of Science and Industry is the first institution in Chicago and the second in the world to install the new system from D3D/Christie Laser Dome, a company based in north suburban Evanston, Illinois.  It uses three different laser projectors to create a composite image.  The Dover Foundation supports the Giant Dome Theater.

Cuba is being screened daily at 10:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 1:30 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.  On days with extended hours, it is also screened at 4:00 p.m.  This film is not covered by Museum Entry (general admission) and requires an additional, timed-entry ticket.  For more information on Cuba, visit www.msichicago.org/suba.

Often stylized as the “Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago” or the “Museum of Science + Industry” the institution is located at the northern end of the Chicago Park District’s Jackson Park, on the south side of 57^th Street, between Lake Shore Drive to the east and Cornell Drive to the west, in the East Hyde Park neighborhood of the Hyde Park Community Area (Community Area #41) on the South Side of Chicago.  The address is 5700 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60637.  Founded by Sears, Roebuck & Company President Julius Rosenwald (1862-1932) in 1926, through The Commercial Club of Chicago, the Museum of Science and Industry opened in three stages between 1933 and 1940.  It occupies the Palace of Fine Arts from Chicago’s first World’s Fair, the World’s Columbian Exposition (1893).  The M.S.I. is open every day of the year with two exceptions: Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.  On most days, it is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., but during peak periods it is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.  The Website is https://www.msichicago.org/ and the phone number is (773) 684-1414.

[1] OMNIMAX and IMAX theater technologies were developed in the 1960s by the IMAX Systems Corporation of Toronto.  Known today as the IMAX Corporation, it is both a manufacturing company and a service company.  It manufactures IMAX cameras and projectors, produces films, develops IMAX film, and provides postproduction services.  At the time the Museum of Science and Industry built the OMNIMAX Theater in the Henry Crown Space Center, films were produced for the OMNIMAX format by the IMAX Systems Corporation, a consortium of science museum theaters, and other organizations.