"The Lost City" Directed by Andy Garcia Co-starring Jsu Garcia
Jsu Garcia was born in
New York City to Cuban immigrant parents
. ...
Garcia played revolutionary
Che Guevara in
Andy García's Cuban story,
The Lost City.
Press Info - Jsu Garcia (Codirector with John-Roger) Mystical
Traveler
I was born in
NYC. Both my parents were born in
Habana,
Cuba. My mother was pregnant with my older brother from a different father, and after being thrown in jail and released by
Castro, she needed to
Flee Cuba where she met my soon to be father, along with his Anti-Castro-Rebel friend in
Key West called Bomillo. My soon to be father and my pregnant mother arrived in NYC like every other Cuban immigrant. I grew up in an Anti-Castro environment. We were taught to hate
Che. And while I was desperate to forget where I came from, I set my sites on being
American.
Later growing up in NYC,
Newark, and
New Jersey with my step-father also raised me in an Anti-Castro environment where I heard many rhetorical speeches about killing him. My late-Stepfather, after placing a bomb in an event where there were Cuban Communist
Dancers performing in the
USA, was sent to a penitentiary. Ironically that was the foundation that would propel me into show business to escape my past.
As an actor I have starred in 2 films about Che. The first was in an
Andy Garcia film called "
Lost City" - where I played the role of Che. This was a very profound enlightening experience especially while filming in the
Dominican Republic where I was approached by half a dozen family members who were victimized by "Che". Some of those people are met had their fathers killed by "Che". And while I an actor in a big budget hollywood film, it also hit me like a ton of brinks on how serious this was.
Putting politics aside people were killed and their lives were forever altered. I decided I would never promote "Che" the
Character after being in his skin. I saw enough as an actor and human. I then pledged that I would never wear another "Che"
T-Shirt ever again.
The other film I have worked on about Che, was working with
Steven Soderberg on his film titled "Che". This time I learnt so much about the
Cuban revolution - not taking sides, but as a wanna be historian - it was both enlightening and educational.
For 27 years
I've been working on
Personal and
Spiritual Growth with
Teacher Dr. John-Roger. In
1998 John-Roger and I wrote and Directed a
Short film called "My little
Havana" which was accepted in
Havana, Cuba. John-Roger supported me and we headed to Cuba by invitation from the Havana Cuban
Film Festival. We stayed at the
Famous Hotel National.
Wow. It was a big deal for me because I would relive my mothers experiences in Cuba by walking through the same streets.
Havana stood still in
1959 and that's what it still looked like in 1998. So I called my mother from Cuba and while on the phone she talked me through it. What places, clubs she went to, etc.
As John-Roger had been to Cuba in the
1970's during a
peace trip. This time 1998 we received a great reception to our screening in Havana trying to open relations through the arts. I also got to visit my aunt for the first time (my father's sister). When I walked in her home I video taped it - and it's on my youtube site - examples following.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxjiaB_lrb8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfZbNvQpwUs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRhE5e2Zktk&list;=PLA99D9CDE49E76590
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbimguNmMcM&list;=PLA99D9CDE49E76590
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRnOSVXw85E&list;=PLA99D9CDE49E76590&index;=3
Mystical Traveler is the
Life and Times of Dr. John-Roger.
Working with John-Roger was an amazing experience. He is a true Wayshower and
Spiritual teacher and a Traveler. There is some 8mm of John-Roger in Cuba in the 1970's spreading peace by example. Our hopes in screening this film in NYC is to share and make available the life and teachings of a great man who lived to serve the lord. John-Roger's mission statement is: "I communicate living
Love".
LL
Jsu Garcia