Trópico de Sangre
6.2 /10 1 Votes
Director Juan Delancer Writer Juan Delancer Running time 1h 57m Music by Manuel Tejada Language Spanish | 6/10 IMDb Genre Drama, History Duration Initial DVD release November 16, 2010 Country Dominican Republic | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Release date 2010 (2010) Cast Michelle Rodriguez (Minerva Mirabal), Juan Fernández (Trujillo), Sergio Carlo (Manolo Tavares), Claudette Lali (Emilia), Alexander Estrella (Teniente Jimenez)Similar movies In the Time of the Butterflies (2001) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.
Contents
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
Filming information
The film debuted at the New York International Latino Film Festival on July 29, 2009.
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.
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.
