" Mariposa Negra" or "Black butterfly" is the best kind of political movie. It clearly conveys its passionate message without neglecting the artistic vision. The corrupt regime of Alberto Fujimori improved the economic situation in Peru, but the heavy price to pay for that was incredible crackdown on opposition and multiple political assassinations. The movie has all the staples of ancient Greek tragedy: love, death, revenge, sacrifice, all successfully transposed to 1990's Peru. Times might change, but the human nature barely does. Same powerful and primal emotions still determine our lives and our hopes and dreams.
2 Reviews
Very moving, dramatic and disturbing
nhenelow7 November 2006
If you are looking for escapism, don't even think about watching this film. It is excellent, but it will chill your bones.
Here's the premise of the film: Gabriela, a pretty and upstanding young schoolteacher, receives a phone call to find out that her beloved fiancé, a judge dedicated to stamping out corruption, has been brutally murdered. The film's depiction of the aftermath of the murder is merciless and tragic, from the shots of the mutilated body to the scenes of Gabriela's shattering grief.
The next morning, wandering around in a fog, Gabriela finds that a local tabloid (in Lima) has published that her husband was killed during a drunken orgy with his secret male lovers. She storms the tabloid offices and throws a fit. In the process she becomes friends with the journalist who wrote the article, a jaded young woman about her age with a taste for drinking and casual sex who appears to be Gabriela's exact opposite.
Over a bottle of pisco, the grief-stricken schoolteacher vows to avenge her fiancé's death. Her journey takes her through a series of twists and turns that range from comic to horrifying, and straight to the top of Peru's power structure. That is all I can reveal, other than that this is a tragic film, not suitable for the faint-hearted, and that the film builds up a powerful head of suspense.
Overall, the performances are excellent, especially Melania Urbina's Gabriela, and the film is very well shot, full of gritty Lima street scenes contrasted with luxurious hotels.
Enjoy it, but be prepared.
Here's the premise of the film: Gabriela, a pretty and upstanding young schoolteacher, receives a phone call to find out that her beloved fiancé, a judge dedicated to stamping out corruption, has been brutally murdered. The film's depiction of the aftermath of the murder is merciless and tragic, from the shots of the mutilated body to the scenes of Gabriela's shattering grief.
The next morning, wandering around in a fog, Gabriela finds that a local tabloid (in Lima) has published that her husband was killed during a drunken orgy with his secret male lovers. She storms the tabloid offices and throws a fit. In the process she becomes friends with the journalist who wrote the article, a jaded young woman about her age with a taste for drinking and casual sex who appears to be Gabriela's exact opposite.
Over a bottle of pisco, the grief-stricken schoolteacher vows to avenge her fiancé's death. Her journey takes her through a series of twists and turns that range from comic to horrifying, and straight to the top of Peru's power structure. That is all I can reveal, other than that this is a tragic film, not suitable for the faint-hearted, and that the film builds up a powerful head of suspense.
Overall, the performances are excellent, especially Melania Urbina's Gabriela, and the film is very well shot, full of gritty Lima street scenes contrasted with luxurious hotels.
Enjoy it, but be prepared.
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