Trópico de Sangre

Trópico de Sangre

Directed by	Juan Delancer
Starring	Michelle Rodriguez Juan Fernandez César Évora Sergio Carlo Claudette Lali Celines Toribio
Music by	Manuel Tejada
Release dates	2010 (2010)
Country	Dominican Republic
Language	Spanish

Trópico de Sangre (English: Tropic of Blood) is a 2010 drama film based on the true story of the Dominican Republic's historic Mirabal sisters.

Plot

The film focuses on Minerva Mirabal and tells the true story of how she and her sisters came to represent the greatest threat to dictator Rafael Trujillo and his regime. The Mirabal sisters were involved in an underground movement against the government. They were assassinated in 1960 by men under the instruction of the Trujillo regime according to Pupo Roman, although their death was made to appear as an automobile accident. Many citizens were outraged and a few months later Trujillo was assassinated by an ambush led by Antonio de La Maza, who was played by actor Cesar Evora. Antonio de la Maza was killed in turn by a death squad led by Ramfis Trujillo.

Cast

Michelle Rodriguez as Minerva Mirabal
Juan Fernandez as Rafael Trujillo
César Évora as Antonio de la Maza
Claudette Lali as Emilia Bencosme
Sergio Carlo as Manuel "Manolo" Aurelio Tavárez Justo
Sharlene Taulé as Maria Teresa Mirabal
Liche Ariza as Tomas Ovando
Celines Toribio as Dedé Mirabal
Luchi Estevez as Patria Mirabal
Héctor Then as Priest Luis Peña González
Johnnié Mercedes as Dr. Tejada Florentino

Filming information

The film debuted at the New York International Latino Film Festival on July 29, 2009.^[1]

The surviving sister, Dedé Mirabal, consulted on and participated in the production of the film; she was portrayed by actress Celinés Toribio.

Controversy

In July 2008, the president of the Minerva Mirabal Foundation, Carlos Leiter, publicly criticized the film, specifically the involvement of actress Michelle Rodriguez due to her past legal issues. Leiter threatened to sue Rodriguez and her co-producers citing illegal use of the Mirabal name, unless charitable organizations of his choice, including his own, were given all revenues, including Rodriguez's entire personal salary, from the film.^[2]

Within days, the film's writer/director Juan Delancer responded to such criticisms by stating "One does not need permission to bring history to film." Delancer pointed out that Dedé Mirabal and the Mirabal family themselves approved of and supported the film and Rodriguez, with Dedé even appearing in the film as its narrator. Delancer also defended Rodriguez, as both a person and actress, saying it is impressive that "a figure of her stature who had just completed projects with the likes of Charlize Theron (in Battle in Seattle) and James Cameron (in Avatar)" would even participate in such a small production, let alone show such "undeniable" dedication to it as both an actress and producer.^[3]

The Mirabal sisters in other media

In the Time of the Butterflies is a novel by Julia Álvarez, fictionalizing the lives of the Mirabal sisters from their personal accounts of what happened during the time. The novel was later turned into a film with the same name. It stars Salma Hayek, Marc Anthony and Edward James Olmos as the Dominican dictator Rafael Leónidas Trujillo.
Dedé Mirabal still lives in the same household where they all grew up. She has been responsible for keeping their legend alive. At 85 years of age, she has recently released her book about her sisters and the events called Vivas en su jardin (Alive in their garden), published by Vintage Español/Random House Publishing.
Another film project by the Dominican director Etzel Baez, called Crimen, has been left unfinished since 2006.

References

↑ http://nylatino.bside.com/2010/films/tropicodesangretropicofblood_nylatino2010
↑ "Foundation Sues Producers". MasVIP. 2008-07-09. Retrieved 2008-07-26.
↑ "You Don't Need Permission to Bring History to Film". MasVIP. 2008-07-13. Retrieved 2008-07-26.

External links

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