Nuestro Studios Launches ‘Bistec’ Podcast Series Highlighting Dystopian Cuba

Nuestro Studios, a division of Nuestro Stories, has announced the global release of its historical fiction podcast series Bistec. This eight-part limited series presents a universal, cautionary tale of faith, patriotic fanaticism, and surveillance in dystopian Cuba.

Bistec is now available on major podcast platforms, including YouTube in both Spanish and English, iTunes, Spotify, and Audible. A visual trailer, hinting at the series' potential future as a feature film, can be viewed here.

The storyline of Bistec revolves around a longtime Cuban Revolutionary and the tumultuous events triggered when a prominent dissident moves into his neighborhood. Set during the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution in 2009, the series delves into the complex world of Cuba’s surveillance and snitch systems, all within a gripping and emotional narrative filled with unexpected twists.

Manuel Ruiz-Barrera, the series creator, writer, and director, commented, “Even though Bistec is rooted in Cuba, it is the story of MILLIONS of people who have no rights to privacy, and whose lives and very souls are subject to the whims of a Totalitarian state. With Bistec, we’re giving a global audience an opportunity to peer behind the facade of Cuban society with a sonic experience that is deeply cultural, profound, and even compassionate.”

The inspiration for Bistec stems from the stories surrounding Cuba’s Comités de Defensa de la Revolución (CDR), the neighborhood government apparatus that Fidel Castro referred to as “the vanguard of the Revolution.” The series also draws from events in the life of Ruiz-Barrera’s late poet grandmother, Micaela Ruiz, and his own documentary photography trips to Cuba in the early ‘90s. Key story consultants include prominent dissidents Amaury Pacheco del Monte and Iris Hernandez, who also play characters in the series.

Adapted from a screenplay written 15 years ago by Ruiz-Barrera, the series was meticulously sound-engineered and edited by Jaime Almiral, Jr, and took 15 months to produce. The production team includes Ernesto Fundora, assistant director, associate producer, and story consultant; Efrain Gonzalez and Felix Montelara, executive producers; and Elena Ruiz, associate producer.

Bistec features a diverse cast of actors, musicians, and producers, including TikTok influencer and hip-hop artist Jawndarko and Venezuelan influencer and actress Laura Termini. The musical score, ‘Canción de un Disidente,’ was composed by nine-time EMMY-winning Maestro Alberto Bade and features a performance by the University of Miami Orchestra.

The Spanish and English-language cast includes Albertico Pujol, Roberto Escobar, Adrian Mas, Rene Granado, Vivian Ruiz, Mayte Vilan, Mauricio Renteria, Rene Lavan, Laura Termini, Amaury Pacheco Del Monte, Robert Ramos, Andy Barbosa, Omar Gonzalez, Michael Ferreiro, Iris Hernandez, Maggie Zafra, Alejandra Cossio, and Melissa Ann Hubiscsak.

Narrators for the series include Ray Guiu, Gregg Weiner, and Scott Fortney, with additional voice actors such as Frank Egusquiza, Teresa Rodriguez, Ramonín Veloz, Efrain Gonzalez, Cecilia “Ceci” Diaz Arguelle, Rick Najera, Julian Najera, Jeffrey Batista, Juan Camilo Jurado, Tanya Cecilia Diaz, Alex Hernandez, Naomi Ruiz, Briani Ruiz, Katherine Costa, Rameh Ali Echeverri, and Manuel Ruiz-Barrera.

Additional music contributions were made by Federico Colloca, Elimir Colloca, Leandro Tresero y Luthier, Bernardo Izaguirre, Alfredo Chacon, Odalys Salina, Humberto Casanova, Juan A. Diaz, Lianet Ulloa, Lazaro Fundora, Pavel de la Noval, and Bernardo Izaguirre.

Executive producers include Armando Azarloza, Santiago Eljaiek, III, Lourdes Castillo, and Angela Sustaita-Ruiz. The series poster was designed by Hiram Henriquez, with casting led by Ana Braga Morfi. Media and marketing distribution are managed by Brilla Media Ventures and Audio Dice Network.

The production team extends gratitude to the University of Miami School of Music, Ochenta Studio, Ralph Rivera, Celines Toribio, Katherine Costa, Robert Armband, and Piera Garibaldi, as well as Iris Fraga, Pedro Fraga, Ravi Baichwal, Yolanda and Jose Garcia, Michael Ortega, Sonia Diaz, and Cristy Clavijo-Kish. Bistec was recorded at South Point Productions and Panoramik Audio.