The movie “José Martí: el ojo del canario” (José Martí: the Eye of the Canary), by Cuban filmmaker Fernando Pérez, has increased its list of prizes by securing one of the Ariel awards granted by the Mexican Film Academy.

The film, which narrates the early years and adolescence of the Cuban writer and independence hero, won in the category of Best Ibero-American Film during the 53rd Ariel Awards, a distinction shared with the movie “También la lluvia” by Spanish Iciar Bollain.

The film was selected by critics as one of the top ten movies screened in Cuba in 2010 and it also won most of the collateral awards of the 32nd International Festival of Latin American Cinema, which took place in Havana last December.

It was also nominated for a Goya Award in Spain in the category of Best Foreign Film.