The influential International School of Film and Television at San Antonio de los Baños in Cuba (Escuela Internacional de Cine y TV, EICTV) celebrates its 30 anniversary as it was founded on December 15, 1986. Along with Universidad del Cine in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica in Mexico City, Mexico, the Cuban film has become a staple of the international reemergence of Latin American cinema, having formed many renowned filmmakers.
EICTV was created as the educational branch of the New Latin American Cinema Foundation with the mission of training mediamakers. The school was inaugurated by the late writer and Nobel Prize winner Gabriel García Márquez, and filmmakers Fernando Birri and Julio García Espinosa. The opening ceremony was attended by Fidel Castro.
Since its foundation 30 years ago, hundreds of students from over 50 countries have graduated from the school. Some notable alumni include Mariana Rondón (Bad Hair) from Venezuela, Alejandro Brugues (Juan of the Dead) from Argentina, Laura Amelia Guzmán (Sand Dollars) from Dominican Republic, Diego Vega (Octubre) from Peru, Eryk Rocha (Cinema Novo) from Brazil, and Juan Carlos Cremata (Viva Cuba) from Cuba.
In 1993, the school was presented with Roberto Rossellini award. EICTV is regularly visited by many renowned film professionals; past visitors include Francis Ford Coppola, Walter Salles, Martin Scorsese, Robert Redford, and George Lucas.
