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Movies Checkmate, Detective Willy, Arrobá, Carpinteros Similar Juan Delancer, René Fortunato, Micky Bretón Profiles | ||
José María Cabral González (b. Santo Domingo, July 24, 1988) is a Dominican film director, screenwriter, and producer.
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He is considered one of the most important directors of the Dominican Republic, at his young age has directed five feature films. And is recognized as the first Dominican to be selected by the Sundace Film Festival with his movie ¨Woodpeckers¨
Early life and family
His desire was to be an actor, so he began filming short films in which he acted, with the purpose of being the main actor. But his work behind the camera caught him, then began his journey as director.
He started financing his short films by having showings for each film in a movie theatre, renting the theatre for an hour and selling tickets, with the intention of getting a better budget for his next film.
He is related to many eminent Dominicans such as Oscar de la Renta, Viriato Fiallo, J. Antinoe Fiallo, and Fabio Fiallo, by his mother’s side of the family; to Carmen Imbert Brugal by his father’s side; and he is also related to José María Cabral, Juan Bautista Vicini Cabral, Peggy Cabral, Donald Reid Cabral, from both sides of his family.
Career
Cabral started making films when he was 16 years old, making private screenings of short films to family and friends in local movie theaters, one of them "Excexos" got national distribution in 2008. His first feature film, Jaque Mate (2011), was screened at a high number of film festivals and selected as the Dominican entry for the Best Foreign Language Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards, but it did not make the final shortlist. "Arrobá" and "Despertar" followed in 2013 and 2014, also making it into the festival circuits. In 2015 he released "Detective Willy" a comedy adventure film. Cabral premiered his last film, Carpinteros, in january at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, a story about the realities and relationships of prisoners in dominican jails.
Filmography
Carpinteros / Woodpeckers
Screened in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition section of the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, Woodpeckers was the first Dominican feature film selected by Sundance.
Synopsis Julián finds love and a reason for living in the last place imaginable: the Dominican Republic's Najayo Prison. His romance, with fellow prisoner Yanelly, must develop through sign language and without the knowledge of dozens of guards.
The film has been selected by another festivals: