The King of Havana
The King of Havana
The King of Havana is a 2015 drama directed by Agustí Villaronga. It is a Spanish-Dominican co-production based on Pedro Juan Gutiérrez’s novel El rey de La Habana. The story is set in Havana during Cuba’s Special Period and follows Reynaldo, who returns home after leaving a juvenile prison and wanders Old Havana, meeting two sex workers, Magda and Yunisleidi.
The film stars Maykol David Tortolo, Yordanka Ariosa, and Héctor Medina. It was shot in the Dominican Republic in spring 2015 and opened in Spain on 16 October 2015 after premiering at the San Sebastián Film Festival on 23 September 2015.
Critics described it as a stark, unabashedly intense urban melodrama about poverty, sex, violence, and survival. Some reviews praised its raw energy, while others felt the film’s shock tactics left a strong, uneasy impression. There were reports of controversy around on-set scenes involving a minor actor.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 03:47 (CET).