ABSTRACT
This chapter reflects upon Alejo Carpentier’s contribution to magic-realist discourse and its legacies, connecting his philosophical lo real maravilloso americano through his early film criticism, to industry interest in adapting his novels for screen. Throughout his time in Paris, Carpentier kept a busy schedule of creative involvement in musical and theatrical productions, which contributed to a promotion of afro-cubanismo and Latin American culture within Parisian intellectual circles. Between 1927 and 1928, he worked simultaneously on the scenario for Amadeo Roldan’s La Rebambaramba ballet, and the literary work Cinco poemas afrocubanos. Lo real maravilloso americano marks a true divide between years spent in Paris waiting for le merveilleux to materialise, and a succession of epic, lyrical, and experimental novels: Kingdom; The Lost Steps; El acoso; and El siglo de las luces. Most of the novelists from the continent’s baroque area express themselves in baroque language because it corresponds to Latin American sensibility.
