Trópico de sangre [Tropic of Blood], the new film by Juan Delancer that tells the story of the Mirabal sisters’ political struggle against Dominican Republic dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina, will be screened as part of Dominican Night in the annual New York International Latino Film Festival. The film will be released on Thursday, July 29 at 7:00pm at the Columbia University Alumni Auditorium at 168th Street and Fort Washington Avenue in Manhattan, New York.

Actress Michelle Rodríguez (Avatar), born in Texas to a Puerto Rican father a Dominican mother, breathes life into the role of Minerva Mirabal. She and her sisters María Teresa and Patria were murdered in November 1960 when they were on their way to visit their imprisoned spouses in the San Felipe Fortress of Puerto Plata.

Shot in the Dominican Republic, the film features real life Dedé Mirabal, the only surviving sister, as narrator of several segments of the production. Other cast members include Juan Fernández in the role of Trujillo, Celinés Toribio as Dedé Mirabal, César Evora as Antonio de la Maza Vázquez, Claudete Lali as Emilia Bencosme, Sergio Carlo as Manolo Tavárez Justo, Sharlene Taulé as María Teresa Mirabal, and Luchy Estévez as Patria Mirabal. Organizers have confirmed that director Delancer and the entire cast will be at the premiere.

As Miguel Cruz Tejada (Primicias) reports, for many analysts and historians the horrendous execution of the “Butterflies” [Las Mariposas] as the sisters are known, was one of the main detonators for the end to Trujillo’s 32-year “all-embracing and ruthless power against his own countrymen.”

For full article (in Spanish), see http://www.primicias.com.do/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2417:tropico-de-sangre-tendra-estreno-mundial-en-el-alto-manhattan-&catid=107:espectaculos&Itemid=472

For more information on the Latino Film Festival, see http://nylatino.bside.com/2010/films/tropicodesangretropicofblood_nylatino2010

[Photos: Michelle Rodríguez (above) and Minerva Mirabal (below).]

See trailer for Tropic of Blood here: