Juan Padrón, the iconic animator considered the father of Cuban film animation and best known for his cult film Vampires in Havana and his comic character Elpidio Valdés, has died today at the age of 73 in Havana, his son Ian informed on social media.
Born January 29, 1947 in Matanzas, Padrón began his professional career in 1963 publishing sketches and cartoons for Cuban magazines and newspapers. In 1970 he created Elpidio Valdés, a popular cartoon character who starred in two feature films, over sixty short films and strips of the same name, and who was a big hit in the Caribbean island.
Valdés is a mambí colonel fighting for the liberation of their homeland from Spanish colonialism, commanding a squadron of cavalry, and represents the Cuban peasants in the 19th century slaves joined, and some landowners to form the Army of liberation. He was named after Cecilia Valdés, the protagonist of a 19th century novel.
In 1974 he was named Director of Film Animation at the Cuban Film Institute, ICAIC (Instituto Cubano del Arte e Industria Cinematográficos). Padrón received international acclaim with his 1985 animated cult film Vampires in Havana / Vampiros en la Habana. A hilariously funny spoof of horror and gangster movies done up in an outrageously caricatured, bawdy style reminiscent of Fritz the Cat.
The wacky plot involves Professor von Dracula, a vampire scientist who leaves Transylvania for Cuba where he invents "Vampisol," a potion that allows vampires to survive in sunlight. When the Professor announces his intention to donate his formula free of charge to vampires all over the world, the European group of vampires from Dusseldorf and the Vampire Mafia from Chicago try to steal the formula. The ensuing action escalates crazily as assorted bad guys, police, vampires and other monsters, musicians, tourists, and our hero are all caught up in the chase.
In 1986 he starts a fruitful collaboration with Argentine cartoonist Joaquín Lavado ‘Quino’ creating the short film series ‘Quinoscopios.’ The first installment of Quinoscopio participated in the official short film competition at the 1986 Cannes Film Festival. In 1993, Padrón directed the feature film Mafalda, based on the popular comic strip character created by Quino.
In 2003, Padrón directed More Vampires in Havana / Más vampiros en La Habana, a sequel to his acclaimed film, which was awarded the top prize for Best Film at the Havana Film Festival. Padrón directed six animated feature films in total, and he was presented with Cuba's National Film Award.
