August 11, 1991
Stopped by the Center to see Sandra Levinson. She’d finished Bird of Paradise and liked it so much she couldn’t stop talking about it. I gave her two more copies, one to give to Aléa and one to a New York producer friend of hers who’s looking for a property for Aléa to direct. I encouraged her as much as I could without actually begging.
Two other interesting developments from that meeting. One, she offered me the use of her apartment in Havana after she leaves on the 29th. Two, she advised me that I do qualify to visit Cuba under the Treasury Dept. regulations. All I need to do is book a seat on a charter flight through Marazúl.
Feeling like a fool, I said: “But they denied permission to Sydney Pollack and Francis Coppola…”
“That’s because they’re Sydney Pollack and Francis Coppola! You, my dear, are a documentary filmmaker, and you can prove it.”
