Though not as principled as I’d wish, I can only applaud HBO’s exercise of its right to free speech in refusing to support Oliver Stone’s Castro documentary:
HBO has ordered the removal of “Comandante” from the [Tribeca film] festival, where it was supposed to make its New York premiere. The cable network pulled the plug after it cancelled its plan to air the movie on May 5. The fear was that the documentary was too soft on the Cuban dictator, especially in light of Mr. Castro’s recent crackdown on dissidents….”In light of all that has happened in Cuba, unless Oliver can go back and interview Fidel about the recent events, the film is obviously incomplete,” said Paul Marotta, a spokesman for HBO…The film reportedly doesn’t delve into a referendum effort in Cuba that has collected thousands of signatures in support of democratic reforms. Mr. Castro recently jailed about 20 people associated with the project.Only if you judge a person by the corrupt moral standard of self-sacrifice–and look at what you justify by doing so.
Mr. Stone… has called Mr. Castro “magnetic and charismatic.” At the Sundance Film Festival, the 56-year-old director was quoted as saying, “I thought [Mr. Castro] was warm and bright. He’s a very driven man, a very moral man.” [New York Sun, 4/18/03]