The difference between the communist system. and the capitalist system is that when they give you a kick in the ass in the communist system you have to applaud in the capitalist system you can scream

Description: The life of Cuban poet and novelist, Reinaldo Arenas.

Cast:
Reinaldo's Mother: Olatz López Garmendia
Young Reinaldo: Giovani Florido
Reinaldo's Grandmother: Loló Navarro
Reinaldo's Father: Batan Silva
Teacher: Carmen Beato
Smallest School Child: Olmo Schnabel
Teenage Reinaldo: Vito Schnabel
Reinaldo's Grandfather: Pedro Armendáriz Jr.
Carlos: Diego Luna
Lolin: Lia Chapman
Cuco Sanchez: Sean Penn
Professor: Jerzy Skolimowski
Translator: Aquiles Benites
Pretty Blonde Student: Ewa Piaskowska
Reinaldo Arenas: Javier Bardem
María Teresa Freye de Andrade: Patricia Reyes Spíndola
Heberto Zorilla Ochoa: Michael Wincott
Virgilio Piñera: Hector Babenco
Pepe Malas: Andrea Di Stefano
Woman in car #1: Marlene Díaz
Woman in car #2: Olga Borayo
Tomas Diego: Santiago Magill
Faustino: Manolo García
Girl With Keys: Lola Schnabel
Landlady: Ofelia Medina
Woman - UNEAC: Lois Barragán
Nightclub Singer: Eduardo Antonio
Valeria: Stella Schnabel
Lazaro Gomez Carilles: Olivier Martinez
Jose Lezama Lima: Manuel González
Nicolas Abreu: Maurice Compte
Maria Luisa Lima: Claudette Maillé
Juann Abreu: John Ortiz
Jose Abreu: Vincent Laresca
Recruit Driver: Rene Rivera
Blonde on the beach: Chanel Puertas
Royal Gay: Manolo Rivero
French Tourist: Andrea Fassler
Santería Dancer: Magda
Violent Soldier: Julian Bucio
Prosecutor: Jorge Zárate
Fina Zorilla Ochoa: Najwa Nimri
Jorge Camacho: Francisco Gattorno
Margarita Camacho: Marisol Padilla Sánchez
Kid with Kite: Jorge Zamora
Policeman on beach: Noel Medina
State Security on beach: Jorge Zepeda
Teenager #1: Yulian Díaz
Teenager #2: Eduardo Arroyuelo
Stranger in Lenin Park: Antonio Zavala Kugler
State Security in Lenin Park: Eloy Ganuza
Young Man with bird: Khotan Fernandez
Antonio: Rene Pereyra
Hungry Inmate: Abel Woolrich
Gay Inmate: Mario Oliver
Singing Prisoner: Robertico Valdez
Bon Bon: Johnny Depp
Guard at El Morro: Claudio Osoria
Armando García: Alfredo Villa
Blanca Romero: Diahnne Abbott
Dancer in the convent: Caridad Martinez
Zulema: Zulema Cruz
Blanca's Teenage Daughter: Annie Gil
Dwarf: Filiberto Estrella
Immigration Officer: Juan Cristóbal Murillo
Man at Mariel Harbor: Melanio Filiberto Hebra
Officer at Mariel Harbor: Matthias Ehrenberg
Mr. Greenberg: Jack Schnabel
Mrs. Greenberg: Esther G. Schnabel
Death: Xavier Domingo
Orderly: Eric Springer
Taxi Driver: Jimmy Nugent
Rudy: Benjamín Benítez
Self (anti-Marielito speech): Fidel Castro
Student: Adrian Makala
Pedro the bus driver:

Written by: Cunningham O'Keefe, Lázaro Gómez Carriles, Julian Schnabel

Director: Julian Schnabel

Production: El Mar Pictures, Grandview Pictures

Release date: 23 Feb 2001

Box Office: $4,242,892