A unique culture of sharing dreams formed among Guantanamo prisoners. Dreams were called aloud and passed from prisoner to prisoner, then interpreted and relayed back in the same manner. Nature of Dreaming is a film in development that explores the 'war on terror' and the Cuban embargo through one of the most elusive states: dreams.
Nature of Dreaming is based on interviews currently being conducted with former military personnel and former prisoners from the Guantanamo Naval Base. These interviews are focused on a very particular and unexamined aspect of life at the Naval Base - the dreams of soldiers and the imprisoned. The goal is to collect dreams from individuals on both sides. These dreams will form the basis of a script that combines the interviews into a fictionalized story. Like the subject of dreams, the format of the film is unconventional and blends documentary and fiction into a unified work. The movie will be staged in the Cuban towns and countryside surrounding the Naval Base. The final film is a portrait of Guantanamo Province, made in collaboration with local people.
The research video above contains preliminary interviews and images from Guantanamo, where the film is set. U.S. relations with Cuba and the Guantanamo Naval Base are much discussed and dissected topics. Despite this, the people whose lives are directly affected rarely have a voice, whether it is a prisoner, an American soldier, or a Cuban citizen. Nature of Dreaming combines these voices. It explores the issues beyond laws and treaties, focusing instead on our fragmented experiences and common humanity.