Solas is best known as the creator of Lucía an extraordinary movie that will celebrate its 40th anniversary this year. As a young artist, he wrote and directed Manuela (1966), a precursor to the emblematic work that showcased Humberto's aesthetic sensibilities, his passion and good judgment: Un día de noviembre (1972), Cantata de Chile (1975), Cecilia (1981), Un hombre de éxito (1986), and El siglo de las luces (1991).
The economic difficulties that characterized Cuba in the 1990s after the collapse of the Eastern European Socialist Camp also hit the film industry and Humberto Solas looked inside to reinvent his art. Miel para Oshún (2001) and Barrio Cuba (2005) belong to the stage in Solas' career where he fervently defended the Gibara International Poor Cinema Festival, a celebration of movies made with scant economic resources but rich in conceptual aspirations.
Humberto Solas was awarded the Alejo Carpentier Medal in 1988, the Felix Valera Order in 1999, and the National Cinema Award in 2005. As a young man, Solas was awarded the Combatant of the Underground Struggle Medal for his efforts during the struggle that would lead to the 1959 Cuban Revolution.
Humberto Solas leaves behind an everlasting legacy in celluloid; an artistic reflection of the times, humanity and destiny that pulsated in Cuba along with his own heartbeat. The family will hold a private burial.
Cuba 50 