Tropic of Blood
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| Directed by | Juan Delancer |
|---|---|
| Starring | Michelle Rodriguez Juan Fernandez César Évora Sergio Carlo Claudette Lali Celines Toribio |
| Release date(s) | 2010 |
| Language | Spanish, with English subtitles |
Trópico de Sangre (English: Tropic of Blood) is a dramatic film based on the true story of the Dominican Republic's historic Mirabal sisters.
Plot summary
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 Luis Amiama Tio 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 lead by Antonio de La Maza, who was played by actor Cesar Evora.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
- 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
- Filming wrapped in the Dominican Republic and debuted at the New York International Latino Film Festival on July 29th, 2009.
- Real-life surviving sister, Dedé Mirabal, consulted on and participated in the production of the film, she was also played by actress Celinés Toribio.
Controversy
In July 2008, the president of the Minerval 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.
Story of 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.
- In 1999, the United Nations established the day of November 25th, as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women to commemorate the murder of the three Mirabal sisters.
- Ms. Dedé Mirabal still lives in the same household they all grew up. She has been responsible for keeping their legend alive. At 85 years old, she has recently released her first and only book about her sisters and events called “Vivas en su jardin” (“Alive in their garden”), published by Vintage Español/Random House Publishing.
- There is another film project by the Dominican director Etzel Baez, called "Crimen", but it has been left unfinished since 2006.
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