The last of her kind, Gricel regales Cuban cigar-rollers with readings and good humour
Part of a Cuban tradition dating back to the 19th century, the lector de tabaqueria is tasked with reading to entertain the workers, or rollers, in cigar factories. But with radio and television increasingly filling the noise void above the rustle of rolling papers, this unique job is on the verge of being automated away. This short documentary from the Bulgarian-born director Yulia Piskuliyska captures Gricel Valdés-Lombillo Pérez, one of the last remaining lectoras, at work in a cigar factory in Havana. Flanked by a painting of Fidel Castro and a bust of the Cuban national hero Jose Martí, the charismatic Gricel regales her audience with a magazine article on the many wonders of onions, and a fanciful parable on the value of hard work. Between readings, she joins the workers on the floor, chatting, joking and testing the product. Captured with a skilful observational touch, the resulting short film is a charming and intriguing slice of Cuban life, labour and culture.
Director: Yulia Piskuliyska
Producer: Leonardo Rego

videoWork
Like a cheery Sisyphus, Fred dismantles an industrial chimney one brick at a time
12 minutes

videoProgress and modernity
Moving from Tibet to Beijing, Drolma reconciles big dreams with harsh realities
31 minutes

videoDemography and migration
In California’s farmlands, immigrant workers share their stories of toil and hope
17 minutes

videoHome
Life moves slowly in a Romanian mountain village, shaped by care and the seasons
13 minutes

videoNature and landscape
‘A culture is no better than its woods’ – what our trees reveal about us, by W H Auden
5 minutes

videoGender
A catchy tune explains the world’s ‘isms’ – according to your mum doing the laundry
5 minutes

videoMaking
On the Norwegian coast, a tree is transformed into a boat the old-fashioned way
6 minutes

videoNature and landscape
California’s landscapes provide endless inspiration for a woodcut printmaker
10 minutes

videoTechnology and the self
The commodified childhood – scenes from two sisters’ lives in the creator economy
14 minutes