Conan O’Brien filmed a special episode of his late-night chat show on location in Havana, Cuba, in early 2015. The move marked the first time a late-night US host has filmed in the country since the US trade embargo was introduced in 1962.
Since then, a number of Hollywood films have travelled to Cuba, including Fast & Furious 8 and Transformers: The Last Knight.
Prior to the embargo being lifted, Cuba had been used as a filming location for years but mainly for non-US crews and talent. Filmmaker Bob Yari filmed in the country for his feature Papa, which tells the story of the true-life friendship between writer Ernest Hemingway and the US journalist Ed Myers in the late 1950s.
The film was officially shot as a Canadian-Cuban co-production, but the presence of US cast and crew led to a lengthy prep period.
The collaboration of Canadian producers, American talent and Cuban crew has forged a new bond in US and Cuban relations. The American presence in the film was, in a sense, an extended hand of friendship between the US and Cuba, with the Canadians acting as the hosts and mediators.
Michael Pacino, Producer
Cuba has a tropical climate with hot and humid conditions throughout the year. Between November and April the weather in Cuba is hot and dry. Between May and October there is high rainfall. In the latter part of these months Cuba is subject to the threat of the hurricanes, which visit the Caribbean annually.
