Founded in 1992 at The City College of New York, the Dominican Studies Institute of the City University of New York is the first and only university-based research institute in the United States devoted to the study of people of Dominican descent.
Audiovisual Collection
List of Audiovisual Resources in Alphabetical Order
Note: You may search this collection by topic using the online catalog.
The Library of the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute has an extensive audiovisual collection of documentaries, TV programs, oral history, news segments, music performances, and many of the conferences organized by the Institute. Most of the holdings are on videotape in VHS format, others are on audiotapes.
This is a reference collection. All audiovisual materials must be viewed in-house. Please make arrangements to view tapes by contacting the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute Library at 212.650.7170 or aponte@ccny.cuny.edu
¡A Golpe de Güira y Tambora! Taína TV Productions. Directed by Maxy Domingo Sosa. New York, 2000. Spanish. Color; 55 minutes.
This documentary analyses the social, cultural, and economic development of the Dominican community in New York. Through a series of interviews, the documentary traces the experiences of prominent Dominicans in a variety of fields.
Abril: La Trinchera del Honor. Directed by René Fortunato and Produced by Fortunato and Roberto Hiciano. Santo Domingo, 1988. Spanish. Some French dialogues with Spanish subtitles. B/W; 90 minutes.
This documentary is an account of the political situation in the Dominican Republic from the death of dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo (1961) to the election of Joaquín Balaguer in 1966. The 1965 civil war and the U.S. military invasion are analyzed in detail.
Aguas Limitadas/Limited Water. Directed by Armando Guareño. New York, 1999. Spanish narration with English subtitles. Color; 27 minutes.
This is a documentary on Dominican contemporary arts and the efforts of the artists to survive.
Amaury Germán Aristy. Programa Nuria En El 9.Produced by Nuria Piera. Santo Domingo. Spanish. Color; 45 minutes.
A television program about the life of Amaury Germán Aristy a Dominican revolutionary leader killed during the 12-year regime of Joaquín Balaguer (1966-1978).
An Evening With Don Pedro Mir. Conference organized by the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute. City College, New York, 1993. Color; 110 minutes.
An Evening with Don Pedro Mir is a celebration of the publication Countersong to Walt Whitman and other Poems by Pedro Mir, which is the first substantial collection of texts by a Dominican poet to have been made available in English. Featuring Manuel de la Nuez, George Irish, Jean Franco, Richard Schaaf, Jonathan Cohen, and the poet himself, the activity was moderated by Silvio Torres-Saillant.
Antes de que se Vayan. Produced by Producciones Televox. Santo Domingo, 2003. Spanish. Color; 58 minutes.
This is a documentary on the origins of Dominican folk dance music and merengue. There are some interviews with Dominican folk musicians. This documentary is based on the book: Antes de que te vayas written by Rafael Chaljub Mejía (Santo Domingo: Grupo León Jimenes, 2002).
Así es la República Dominicana. Produced by JVC Productions. New York, 2002. Spanish. Color; 60 minutes.
The land of the Dominican Republic and its people are viewed geographically and culturally. The migration process also is discussed, with a description of the Dominican community in the United States.
Bridge for the Yaque. Reissued by Quality Information Publishers. USA, 2006. Produced by the U.S. Steel manufacturing company. Santo Domingo, [1950s]. English. Color, 13:46 minutes.
This is an industrial film about the construction of the Yaque River Bridge in the north region of the Dominican Republic. The film footage showcases the U.S. Steel manufacturing company engineering and technological innovations during the 1950s.
Canto a la Luz, un Canto Nacional: Fotografía Fija y en Movimiento. Produced by Grupo León Jimenes. Directed by Fernando Báez. Photographs by Domingo Batista. Santo Domingo, 2001. Spanish. Color; 22 minutes.
This is a visual representation of the natural resources of the Dominican Republic .
Charlando con Cervantes: Pedro Mir. CUNY TV-75. New York. Spanish. Color; 30 minutes.
This is a literary conversation between the host of Charlando con Cervantes, Raquel Chang Rodriguez, and Pedro Mir, the Dominican National Poet.
Chronic Faces. Produced by D.N.A Victual production. New York . English/Spanish. Color.
Set in the crime-infested streets of Upper Manhattan , this is fast- paced action film by Angel Vasquez chronicles a drug-related killing spree set off by two cousins (Buqueda and Necio).
El Círculo Vicioso.Produced by San Loco Productions. New York City, 1999. Spanish. Color; 1 hour.
This high quality action-packed low budget film tells the story of a drug-dealing gang of six in Washington Heights led by Mellizo, whose good hearted leader will do everything it takes to gain material success. This is a tale of police corruption and personal betrayal that is part fictional, part realistic that has as a backdrop a crime ridden city plagued with poverty, drugs and violence.
Commemoración del 24 de Abril - Votos por la Impunidad. Programa Nocturnal Directed by Raul Pérez Peña. Santo Domingo. Spanish, Color; 81 minutes.
This is a two-part TV program dedicated to: 1. Commemorate the April 24 Revolution and 2. The negotiation of "Votos por la Impunidad" between Joaquin Balaguer and the Dominican Liberal Party (PLD).
El Complot Olvidado. Produced by Emilio Herasme Peña. Santo Domingo, 2008. Spanish. C/B and White; 66 minutes.
This is a TV documentary on a long forgotten military plot led by a group of young sergeants with the aim of overthrowing the Trujillo dictatorship in 1959.
Contemporary Visions of the Dominican Experience. Conference organized by the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute and Dominicans 2000. The City College of New York, 1999. English and Spanish. Color; 113 minutes.
A discussion, reading, and booksigning featuring published works on Dominican life by a journalist (Michelle Wucker), a political scientist (Jacqueline Jiménez Polanco), and a fiction writer (Ynoemia Villar). Commentators: Silvio Torres-Saillant, Ydanis Rodriguez, Rosario Espinal, Emelio Betances, Daisy Cocco de Filippis, and Elizabeth Starcevic.
Coronel Lora Fernández: Nuestro titán de Abril. Produced by Dr. Emilio Herasme Peña. Santo Domingo, 2007-2009. Spanish. Color; 59:21 minutes.
A TV documentary on the life of Coronel JuanMaríaLora Fernández, leader, hero and martyr of the 1965 civil war and revolution in the Dominican Republic. Coronel JuanMaríaLora Fernández played a pivotal role during the Batalla del Puente Duarte (Duarte Bridge Battle) against the military forces that led the 1963 military coup that overthrew President Juan Bosch and the U.S. military troops that invaded the country as a result of the popular revolt.
Coronel Rafael Fernández Domínguez: Soldado del Pueblo y Militar de la Libertad.Produced by Fundación Coronel Rafael Fernández Domínguez Inc. Santo Domingo, 2008. Spanish. Color; 44:35 minutes.
This biopic film examines the life and legacy of Coronel Rafael Fernández Domínguez, leader of the 1965 military insurrection aimed at restoring democratically-elected President Juan Bosch to power after he was overthrown by a right wing military coup in 1963.
Counterpoint of Diaspora and State: Political and Cultural Relations of US Dominicans with their Native Land. Conference organized by the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute in collaboration with the Dominican Week in the United States. City College, New York, 1998. English and Spanish. 2 Audio Tapes. 120 minutes.
This is panel discussion on the paradoxical interdependence of U.S. Dominicans and their compatriots in the Dominican Republic. Featuring Jonathan Hartlyn (University of North Carolina), Guillermo Linares (New York City Council), Cristina Aguiar (Dominican Ambassador to the United Nations), Roberto Alvarez (Former staff attorney, Organization of American States), Adriano Espaillat (New York State Assembly), Ydanis Rodríguez (Dominican Youth Union and Dominicans 2000), Luis Heredia Bonetti (Dominican Week in the United States), and Silvio Torres-Saillant (CUNY Dominican Studies Institute). It concludes with a reading by Award-winning Dominican-American poet Rhina Espaillat author of Lapsing to Grace (1992) and Where Horizons Go (1998).
CUNY Forum: Immigration Impact on New York. CUNY TV- Channel 75. New York. English. Color; 60 minutes.
Various policy makers, researchers, politicians discuss the impact immigration has had on New York City.
De Welfare no Vive Nadie: Dominican Women in New York. Produced by Nancy López and Ginetta Candelario. New York, 1994. English. Color; 25 minutes.
This documentary features interviews with several poor Dominican women who became welfare recipients due to unemployment and dire poverty in New York City. The makers of this video examine the causes behind the discriminatory attacks on welfare recipients by politicians and provide data on poverty levels amongst the Dominican community. The aim of the documentary, aired on CUNY TV in 1997, is to demystify stereotypes about women of color on public assistance and explain the root causes of welfare dependency.
Del Fondo de la Noche. Produced by Funglode. Santo Domingo, 2005. B/W, 59:46 minutes
These two short digital films serve as an exploration of urban life in Santo Domingo City and the brutal murder of the Mirabal Sisters during the Trujillo dictatorship through the lens of some of Pedro Mir's most well known poems.
Democracy and Human Rights in Contemporary Dominican Society. Conference organized by the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute and the Dominican Week in the United States. City College, New York, 1999. English and Spanish. 3 Audio Tapes. 270 minutes.
Documentales Dominicanos. Produced byRené Fortunato. Santo Domingo, 1986 Spanish. Color; 60 minutes.This is a seminar on the prison system, extrajudicial killings, the condition of women and minors, the plight of Haitian immigrants, and the status of Dominican-born children of Haitians in contemporary Dominican Republic. Featuring Roberto Alvarez (former Staff Attorney-Organization of American States), Eduardo Jorge Pratts (FINJUS-Fundación Institucionalidad Y Justicia), Susi Pola (Núcleo De Apoyo a La Mujer), Sonia Pierre (MUDHA -Movimiento de Mujeres Domínico-Haitianas), Manuel Matos (Law firm Sheurer, Wiggin & Hardy LLP), Luis Heredia Bonnetti (Dominican Week in the United States), and Silvio Torres-Saillant (CUNY Dominican Studies Institute).
This DVD features two video documentaries by Dominican filmmaker René Fortunato made in the mid 1980s. René Fortunato explores the lives and work of Francisco A. Palau, believed to have been the first Dominican filmmaker, and Frank Almánzar, a visionary Bauhaus-trained engraver, illustrator and cultural animator who left an indelible mark in the cultural life of the country. The Dominican Library also holds another version of this DVD which includes Caribe, a musical video on African and European influences on Caribbean music.
Dominican Studies Institute. Assembly Update: Assemblyman John Brian Murtaugh. Produced by Assembly Radio-Television and Photography. New York, 1994. English. Color; 29 minutes.
A Dialogue between Assemblyman Murtaugh and Professor Silvio Torres-Saillant, founding Director of the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute at City College. Topics discussed are the Dominican experience in the United State with a concentration on the Washington Heights area, the experience of teaching ethnic studies at the City University of New York, and the importance of the Dominican Institute as a research unit of the University.
Dominican Americans. Hispanic Horizons Program, WWOR-TV UPN 9 TV. New Jersey, 1998. English. Color; 26 minutes.
This TV show reviews the book The Dominican Americans by Silvio Torres-Saillant and Ramona Hernández. Featuring the authors, Councilman Guillermo Linares and a Dominican student.
The Dominican American Spirit. WNET Channel 13. New York, 1999. English. Color; 94 minutes.
This documentary focuses on the social, cultural, and economic development of the Dominican community in the United States. It also deals with issues of ethnicity, identity, the portrait of Dominicans, Dominican heritage and the link between the U.S. and the Dominican Republic. Interviews conducted by Dominican newscaster Isolda Peguero.
Dominican Baseball. CNN-SI. New York, 1998. English. Color; 9 minutes.
This is an overview of baseball in the Dominican Republic focusing on stories of Dominican young men going to the United States with an ambition to make into the Major Leagues.
Dominican Culture at the End of the Century: Issues for a Future Research Agenda. Conference organized by the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute. City College, New York, 1998. English and Spanish. Color; 3 Video Tapes. 343 minutes (5 hours and 43 minutes).
This is a two-day symposium on visual arts, spiritual traditions, popular/folk music, and history of the Dominican people in the homeland and the US. The panels are: I. Dominican Visual Artists: Between Here and There: Leonora Vega (Curator, Leonora Vega Gallery), Scherezade García (Dominican Artist), Charo Oquet (Miami Arts Collaborative), David Medina (Dominican Sculptor), Sara Hermann (Art Critic); II. Dominican Beat: Popular and Folk Music: Martha Ellen Davis (University of Florida), Deborah Pacini (Brown University), Paul Austerlitz (Brown University), Jorge Duany (University of Puerto Rico); III. Voices of the Spirit World: Dominican Forms of Worship: Kathleen Skoczen (Rockefeller Fellow/Dominican Institute), Maitreyi Villamán (Rockefeller Fellow/Dominican Institute), Robert Lee Adams (University of Texas), Ana Teresa Ortiz (University of Arizona); IV. The Dominican Past: Options for a New History: Dora Dávila (Rockefeller Fellow/Dominican Institute), Iván Domínguez (Alianza Dominicana), Kenneth Greene Vélez (Casa Dominicana-Chicago), Ramona Hernández (University of Massachusetts-Boston), Frank Moya Pons (CUNY Dominican Studies Institute).
Dominican Rock. Produced by Harold Martínez. New York, 2004. English. Spanish interviews with English subtitles. Color; 20 minutes. DVD.
This work in progress showcases the growing alternative rock movement taking place in the Dominican Republic. The video highlights major Dominican rock figures such as Leo Susana, Maik Abaddon, Tony Almont, and Luis Días, among others.
Los Dominicanos en Estados Unidos. El Instituto de Estudios Dominicanos. Programa Nocturnal. Directed by Raul Pérez Peña. Santo Domingo, 1997. Spanish. Color; 52 minutes.
This video examines the work of the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute. Guest speakers: Silvio Torres-Saillant and Ramona Hernández from CUNY Dominican Studies Institute, and Dominican scholars Diógenes Céspedes and Juan M. Pérez.
Dominicanos en Nueva York. Color Visión. Channel 9. Santo Domingo, 2002. Spanish. Color; 9 minutes.
This news segment highlights the Dominican community in New York. Through short interviews, students, community leaders, and working Dominicans relate their experiences as migrants.
Dreams Ensnared: The Dominican Migration to New York/Sueños Atrapados: La Migración Dominicana a Nueva York. Sonia Fritz. Puerto Rico, 1994. English and Spanish versions. Color; 21 minutes each.
This documentary film focuses on the experience of the Dominican women who are forced to migrate to Puerto Rico and then to New York due to the precarious socioeconomic conditions in the Dominican Republic. It also examines the different means whereby Dominicans abandon the native country, including illegal passage on the dangerous yolas (small boats) trip.
Education Forum With Herman Badillo and Silvio Torres-Saillant. CUNY TV-75. New York, 2000. English. Color; 60 minutes.
Education Forum with Herman Badillo, Chairman of the CUNY Trustees and Dr. Silvio Torres-Saillant, Director of the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute of The City College of New York.
The interview is about the Dominican population in New York and the factors that contribute to the mobility of Dominican people to the City.
Emigrantes: Rumbo a la Madre Patria. Produced by Mabo Medios Audiovisuales. Santo Domingo/Spain, 2005. Spanish. Color; 30 minutes.
This documentary focuses on a large immigration wave from the Dominican Republic to Spain that originated in the 1990 economic crisis in the country. The documentary examines issues of poverty, gender inequality, unemployment and racism in both place of origin and host country−all of this centered on the 1992 xenophobic murder of Dominican immigrant Lucrecia Pérez that took place two months after her arrival to Spain.
Encuesta Sobre el Juicio Moral a Balaguer. Programa Nocturnal. Produced by Raul Pérez Peña. Santo Domingo, 1997. Spanish. Color; 73 minutes.
This program is an on-air telephone survey conducted to gather information on the possibility of a trial of the Dominican President Joaquín Balaguer for human rights abuses .
El Entregao. Produced by Diamante Loco Producciones. Reading, PA. Spanish. Color.
This experimental comedy by Angel Vazquez follows the adventures of Carlito, a womanizer and a slacker who one summer day decides to confront his bullies.
The Evolution of an Ethnic Community: Dominican-Americans in Upper Manhattan. Organized by the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute and the City College Libraries. New York, 2001. English. Color; 60 minutes.
This is the opening reception of the exhibit "The Evolution of an Ethnic Community: Dominican-Americans in Upper Manhattan," that introduced the complexity of the Dominican community in the diaspora, its history, culture, tradition, and changes. It illustrates various stages in the life of Dominican New Yorkers and their American experience. The exhibit was curated by librarians Sarah Aponte, Robert Laurich, Julio Rosario, and Sydney Van Nort. The opening event includes Pamela Gillespie (City College Libraries Chief Librarian), Silvio Torres-Saillant (Syracuse University), Ramona Hernández (CUNY Dominican Studies Institute), the Dominican-American fiction writer Angie Cruz, and the Afro-Dominican music performance by Boni Raposo and La 21 División.
Festival del Minuto Juan Bosch. Produced by FundaciónJuan Bosch. Santo Domingo, 2006. Spanish. Color; 45:53 minutes.
A collection of one minute short films and musical videos inspired by the life and writings of Dominican author and politician Juan Bosch.
Fiestas de la Santa Cruz. Santo Domingo, 1997-1998. Spanish. 15 Audio Cassettes. Photographs of the feasts are also available.
This is an Oral History Project about the Feast of the Holy Cross conducted by Maitreyi Villamán Matos in the Dominican Republic. The tapes include the following: La Aguita de Olivorio Mateo (Liborismo), Palma Sola, Entrevistas a Investigadores (Iván Domínguez, June Rosenberg, Lusitania Martínez, Norberto Artesario, and Dagoberto Tejada), Fiesta de Cruz en Nizao, Guayuma, Yamasá, Arroyo Sala'o Baní, Monteria, Boca De Arroyo, Rio Arriba (Baní), Fiestas a La Virgen de La Altagracia, Fiesta de La Virgen del Amparo (Los Morenos, Villa Mella). Novena de La Santa Lucia (Navajo en Medio, San Cristobal), Novena de La Salida de la Dolorita (Villa Mella), Sones, Batey "La Jagua", Ingenio Caei, San Cristóbal (Sones y Gagá), and Satsang With Sri Swami Satchidananda, The Holy Cross.
La Gente de La Ciénega. Produced by Gilbert Creutzberg. Santo Domingo, 2006. Spanish/English. Color; 1 hour.
This collection of unedited footage captures the social relations and daily interaction of people from La Ciénega, a poor rural community in the North of the Dominican Republic.
Grandes Exploradores en Tierras de La Española. Directed by Jürgen Hoppe. Produced by Grupo León Jimenes. Santo Domingo, 2001. Spanish. Color; 42 minutes
This documentary presents the biographies of naturalists and botanists who explored the island of Hispaniola.
Guevote: Whatever I Feel, That's the Way I am. Fama/Luna Films. Berlin, 1996. Spanish with English subtitles. Color; 68 minutes.
This video relates the story of four Dominican hermaphrodites and their families in the Bronx, New York and Barahona, Dominican Republic. Issues of gender, sexual identity, attitudes, and misconceptions of this phenomenon are discussed.
La Herencia del Tirano: Balaguer y el Poder. Directed by Rene Fortunato. Santo Domingo, 1998. Spanish. Color; 90 minutes.
This documentary shows the dramatic events that took place immediately after the assassination of dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo. It shows the "Unión Cívica" and "14 de Junio" demonstrations against the Trujillo followers, the efforts of Joaquín Balaguer and Ramfis Trujillo to continue in power, the seminal activities of the political party PRD, the elections of 1962, and the rise to power of Juan Bosch, among other events.
Los Hijos de Quisqueya. Channel 47. New York, 1994. Spanish. Color; 138 minutes.
This is a series of stories of Dominicans in the United States featuring businessman Fernando Mateo and the musical group Milly Jocelyn y Los Vecinos, among others.
Imagen Nacional. Directed by Fernando Báez. Produced by Industria de Tabaco León Jimenes. Santo Domingo, 2000. Spanish. Color; 39 minutes each DVD.
This is a collection of three DVDs that show images of the Dominican Republic's natural beauty: 1. "República Dominicana: sus montañas" (mountains), 2. "República Dominicana: sus ríos, saltos y lagos" (rivers, waterfalls and lakes), and 3. "República Dominicana: sus playas" (beaches).
Informe Nacional de Desarrollo Humano. Produced by Oficina Desarrollo Humano de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo. Santo Domingo, 2005. Spanish. Color; 106 minutes.
This is a presentation of the 2005 National Human Development Report on the Dominican Republic by the United Nations.
La Inmigración Dominicana: La Desesperanza Hacia el Año 2,000. Produced by Alianza Dominicana. New York, 1994. Spanish. Color; 15 minutes.
This is a discussion of the causes of Dominican migration to the United States, especially New York. It provides a description of the Dominican community in New York and highlights several organizations and individuals who are working to build a stronger community.
In the Time of the Butterflies. Showtime Movies, 2001. English. Color; 92 minutes.
This is the story of the Mirabal sisters during the dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo. The movie is based on Julia Alvarez's historical novel In the Time of the Butterflies. Directed by Mariano Barroso. Featuring Salma Hayek, Marc Anthony, and Edward James Olmos.
Investment Promotion Council. Santo Domingo, 1989. Spanish. Color; 16 minutes.
This is a promotional video that seeks to entice small, medium and large firms to invest in the Dominican Republic. Some of the reasons that make the Dominican Republic fit for foreign investment are discussed.
Juan Bosch en dos cuentos. Produced by Felix Germán. Santo Domingo, 2009. Spanish. Color; 26:50 minutes.
This digital film brings to the screen two short stories ("En un Bohío" and "Luis Pie") written by renowned Dominican author Juan Bosch. The film adaptation captures the social reality of Dominican rural life during the tumultuous decades of the 1920s and 1930s as narrated by Bosch.
Junot Díaz: Interview. Good Day New York. 1997. English. Color; 13 minutes.
An interview with Dominican-American Writer Junot Díaz and his book Drown, a collection of 10 short stories dealing with the Dominican American experience.
Ladrones a Domicilio. Produced by Estudios Quita Sueños. Santo Domingo, 2008. Spanish. Color; 93 minutes.
This comedy film by award-winning Dominican director Angel Muñiz tells the tale of Bruno, a working class husband and father of two who finds himself in the middle of a political web of corruption and crime that threatens to destroy his family and aspirations that will one day help him overcome economic hardship.
Marines '65 & OPs Starlite, Piranha & Harvest Moon. Produced by Traditions Military Videos.USA.English. B/W; 90 minutes
This is a Cold War era propaganda film made to bolster public support for U.S. military operations during the year 1965. The film focuses on the U.S. military intervention of the Dominican Republic and the war against the nationalist Vietnamese Liberation Front in Vietnam.
Merece la Pena. CARE Dominicana. Santo Domingo, 1995. Spanish. Color; 17 minutes.
This program surveys socioeconomic conditions in Villa Marina and La Piña, two neighborhoods of Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic's capital. It stresses the important role of community-based organizations in improving the precarious conditions of the two communities.
Miss Italia (Finale). Italy, 1996. Italian. Color; 35 minutes.
A copy of the Italian TV broadcast of 1996 national beauty pageant featuring the dark-skinned Dominican-born Denny Méndez, who was elected Miss Italy 1996.
My American Girls: A Dominican Journey. Film produced and directed by Aaron Matthews. New York, 2000. English (some Spanish with English subtitles). Color; 62 minutes.
This film portrays the troubles and triumphs of the Ortizes -- five Dominicans who must cope with being a bicultural family while they negotiate the hurdles of their adopted city.
New York City Council Presents $1.377 Million Grant to CUNY Dominican Studies Institute (CUNY DSI). CUNY TV-75. Produced by Gisela Sanders. New York, 2004. English. Color; 58 minutes.
A press conference to announce the grant presented to the CUNY DSI on November 8, 2004 by City Council Speaker Grifford Miller, City Council Education Committee Chair Charles Barron, and City Council Member Miguel Martínez. They made a ceremonial check presentation to Dr. Ramona Hernández, CUNY DSI Director and Dr. Gregory Williams, President of City College. The grant will be used to expand the Institute's library and to construct the Dominican Archives.
New York Dominican Writers in Conversation With Pedro Mir. Conference organized by Ollantay Center for the Arts. New York, 1992. Spanish and English. Color; 103 minutes.
This is a panel of Dominican writers living in New York commenting on Pedro Mir's work. The panelists are: Alexis Gómez-Rosa, Juan Rivero, Kelva Pérez-Campbell, Tomás Rivera Martínez, Mirian Ventura, Hector Rivera, and Pedro Mir himself. The panel is moderated by Silvio Torres-Saillant.
North-South Counterpoint: Pedro Mir in Walt Whitman's Native Land. Conference organized by Hostos Community College, 1992. English and Spanish. Color; 3 Videos. 432 minutes (7 hours and 12 minutes).
These videos summarize a major day-long conference on the works of Pedro Mir, the Dominican Republic's poet laureate.
Nueba Yol ¡Por fin llegó Balbuena! Directed by Angel Muñiz. Santo Domingo, 1995. Spanish with English subtitles. Color; 1 hour and 46 minutes.
This film documents the life of Balbuena (Luisito Martí), a Dominican immigrant who struggles for a better life in New York City.
Nueva York, Episodio 47: Barbara Probst Solomon and Marcio Veloz Maggiolo. Produced by CUNY TV. New York, 2009. Spanish with English subtitles.Color, 30 minutes.
This is a CUNY TV show featuring interviews by author Carmen Bullosa with American journalist Barbara Probst Solomon and seminal Dominican novelist, archeologist and academic Marcio Veloz Maggiolo.
Nueva York: Espejismo y Realidad. Programa Santo Domingo Invita. Produced by Negro Santos. Directed by Manuel Pouevie and Jesús Rivera. Santo Domingo, 1988. Spanish. Color; 1 hour 6 minutes.
This program is dedicated to the Dominican community in New York. Through various interviews, the documentary portrays the cultural, economic and social aspects of the Dominican New York community.
Página Abierta Internacional: AmauryGermánAristy (1era y2da parte). Produced by Página Abierta Internacional. Santo Domingo, 2006. Spanish. Color; 130 minutes.
This panel discussion examines the tragic events that took place on January 12 of 1972 that led to the death of Amaury Germán Aristy andthree other members of the left wing urban guerilla known as Los Palmeros, killed in combat during a standoff with the Dominican military. The panelists discuss the life and legacy ofAmaury GermánAristy as leader of the "Comandos de la Resistencia" (Military Resistance Units) formed in the aftermath of the 1965 Revolution and U.S. military intervention with the aim of overthrowing the authoritarian regime of President Joaquín Balaguer.
Pedro Mir's Visit to PS 128 (Audubon, Manhattan). Sponsored by the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute. New York, 1993. Spanish. Color; 31 minutes.
In this video the Dominican National Poet, Pedro Mir, speaks to children at PS 128 (a predominantly Dominican school) in Upper Manhattan.
Por el Derecho a un Nombre y una Nacionalidad de Los/as Dominicanos/as de Ascendencia Haitiana. MUDHA (Movimiento de la Mujer Domínico-Haitiana). Santo Domingo, 1999. Spanish. Color; 2 minutes.
These are clips supporting MUDHA's campaign for the rights of Dominicans of Haitian descent to obtain a name and nationality. Featuring Margarita Cordero (journalist), Roldan Mármol (sociologist), Jorge Cela (priest), and Virgilio Almánzar (human rights activist).
Raising Victor Vargas. Directed by Peter Sollet. Produced by Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment. Culver City, Calif. , 2003. Color. 1 hour 28 minutes. DVD
Ramona Hernández and the Dominican Archives in the United States. Channel 47. New York, 2004. Spanish. Color; 4 minutes.
A movie about Victor (Victor Rasuk) and his Dominican-American family who live on the Lower East Side of New York. His grandmother (Altagracia Guzmán) is having problems with Victor, his brother Nino (Silvestre Rasuk), and Vicky (Melonie Díaz) who are trying to be more independent. Victor's relationship with Judy (Judy Marte) forces him to reexamine the way he is acting and to begin the process of maturing.
During this brief interview, Dr. Ramona Hernández, Director of the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute, announces the creation of the Dominican Archives in the United States. Two major document donations have been provided by Normandía Maldonado, founder of Centro Cultural Ballet Quisqueya and Juan Paulino, activist and founder of Centro Cívico Duartiano.
La Rebelión de los Pilotos. Produced by Emilio Herasme Peña. Santo Domingo, 2008. Spanish. Color/BW; 70 minutes.
This TV documentary focuses on the final days of the 30 year old dictatorial regime of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo spurred by the assassination of the dictator. It highlights the power struggle within a headless dictatorship overseen by Trujillo's heirs. The video portrays a series of popular revolts coupled with a military uprising led by air force pilots on November 19, 1961 that prevented the Trujillos from perpetuating themselves in power.
Recent U.S. Migration Legislation: Negative Impact on the Dominican Community. Conference organized by the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute, Alianza Dominicana, and Dominicans 2000. City College of New York, 1999. English and Spanish. Color; 95 minutes.
This is a symposium on the U.S. migration legislation affecting Dominicans. Featuring Dominican scholar Bernardo Vega, Congressman Charles Rangel, Alianza Dominicana Director, Moisés Pérez and Dominicanos 2000 coordinator, Ydanis Rodríguez. Panel moderated by Silvio Torres-Saillant.
Recreational Gagá Dance at Batey "La Mula". Produced by Victor Camilo. Santo Domingo, 1987. Haitian Creole and Spanish. B/W and some Color; 30 minutes.
Visual representation of the lifestyle of Haitian immigrant workers in Batey "La Mula" (a community of sugar plantation laborers). The video also includes several Gagá dances, and an interview with a Dominican woman who has worked in the batey for over 20 years.
República Dominicana: El Nacimiento de una Nación (primera parte). Produced by Nandy Rivas, S.A. Santo Domingo. Spanish. Color; 21 minutes.
This digital film tells the story of the Dominican proclamation of independence from the Republic of Haiti in the month of February in 1844.
República Dominicana: Informe Sistema Nacional de Cultura. Produced by Organización de Estados Iberoamericanos para la Educación, La Ciencia y la Cultura. Madrid, OEI. Santo Domingo, Secretaría de Estado de Cultura, 2004. Spanish. CD.
This CD includes information on Dominican history and culture.
República Dominicana: Memoria de Nación. Produced by Cineacción & Marketing Lab S. A. Santo Domingo. Spanish. Color; 25:09 minutes.
This is a promo video that highlights Dominican tourist attractions ranging from natural habitats, lodgings, restaurants and beaches and the architectural legacy of the Spanish Colonial period.
Reserva Científica Loma Quita Espuela. Fundación Loma Quita Espuela. San Francisco de Macorís, 1992. Spanish. Color; 32 minutes.
This video describes a four part project whose main objective is to preserve the natural resources by reinforcing agricultural programs, organizing the grass roots, and educating the community.
Samaná. República Dominicana: Orgullo de mi Tierra.Produced by Centro Cuesta Nacional, 2009. Spanish, English and French. Color;20:58 minutes.
This colorful multimedia documentary explores the natural beauty and richness of the coastal province of Samaná in the Dominican Republic known internationally as a resting area for humpback whales and Dolphins. In addition to showing many of the amenable tourist attractions, the video recounts the colonial origins of Samaná Peninsula and the formation of an English speaking local culture which emerged as a result of a mass migration of freed African slaves from the United States during the 19th century.
Samaná. República Dominicana: Orgullo de mi Tierra.Produced by Centro Cuesta Nacional, 2009. Spanish, English and French. Color;20:58 minutes.
This colorful multimedia documentary explores the natural beauty and richness of the coastal province of Samaná in the Dominican Republic known internationally as a resting area for humpback whales and Dolphins. In addition to showing many of the amenable tourist attractions, the video recounts the colonial origins of Samaná Peninsula and the formation of an English speaking local culture which emerged as a result of a mass migration of freed African slaves from the United States during the 19th century.
Santo Domingo: Patrimonio Cultural de la Humanidad. Produced by Subsecretaría de Estado de Patrimonio Cultural. Santo Domingo, 2005. Spanish. Color; 11 minutes.
This promo video commissioned by the Dominican government for Expo 2005 Japan, the first world fair of the 21st century, features images of the the Colonial City of Santo Domingo and celebrations of the Dominican Carnival.
Santo Domingo: Retrato e Historia. School District Six. Jordi Torrent. New York, 1994. Spanish. Color; 41 minutes.
A historical documentary on the Dominican Republic based on interviews with historians, archeologists and anthropologists from the country.
Sarandunga, Pri-Pri, Congo, Merengue, Momisse, El Baron del Cementerio, Banco de Palos, Gagá. Santo Domingo, 1990-1992. Color; 58 minutes.
This video is an introduction to Afro-Dominican music and culture. Through musical performances and rituals, this video shows the legacy of African music and its influence on the country.
Serenata Dominicana. Directed by Repertorio Español New York. 56 minutes.
Two audio tapes featuring an anthology of historic Dominican popular, folk and classical songs within a historical and cultural context.
Study with the Best. New York. CUNY TV-75. 2002. English. Color; 30 minutes. (Season Two, #8)
A section of this Study with the Best highlights the life of Dr. Ramona Hernández, director of the CUNY-Dominican Studies Institute and professor of sociology at The City College of New York, who is widely recognized for her research on the Dominican immigrant experience in the United States.
Study with the Best. New York. CUNY TV-75. 2002. 2003. English. Color; 30 minutes each. 1 VHS and 1 DVD
The first video of this Study with the Best describes the Hostos Community College Study Abroad Program to the Dominican Republic and Cuba. The second show is dedicated entirely to the Dominican Republic trip. Groups of New York City public school teachers and CUNY students attended classes, lectures, visited historical places, and had field trips in the Dominican Republic to better understand its culture and people.
This is Profamilia - Población y Desarrollo. Profamilia. Santo Domingo, 1994. Spanish. Color; 20 minutes.
Presenting current socioeconomic statistical information on the Dominican Republic, this program discusses the issues of poverty, family planning, employment, health, and education.
The Two Nations of Quisqueya: Haitian Dominican Relations at the Turn of the Century. Conference organized by the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute and HABETAC. The City College of New York, 1995. 7 Audio Tapes; 630 minutes.
This international conference brings together an impressive array of scholars and diplomats to reflect on the relationship between Haitians and Dominicans. Featuring Guy Alexandre, Luis Alvarez-López, Arnold Antonin, Josefina Báez, Jean Casimir, Jean Michel Caroit, Carolle Charles, Jean L. Dominique, Victor Espinal, Ana Garcia-Reyes, Ramona Hernández, Blas R. Jiménez, Carole Berotte Joseph, Jose Luis Keppis, Michel Laguerre, Denize Lauture, Nancy López, Wilfredo Lozano, Max Manigat, Manuel Matos, Michelle Montas, Remy Montas, Victor Morrisete, Frank Moya Pons, Francisco Rodríguez de León, Ruben Silie, A. Stevens-Acevedo, Silvio Torres-Saillant, Estela Vasquez, Bernardo Vega, Frantz Voltaire, Jocelyn Mccalla, George Celsion, and Lola Poisson.
Trujillo: El Poder del Jefe I. Directed by Rene Fortunato. Santo Domingo, 1993. Spanish. B/W; 75 minutes.
Trujillo: El Poder del Jefe II. Directed by Rene Fortunato. Santo Domingo, 1994. Spanish. Color; 95 minutes.
This is the first of a three-part documentary based on the political, economic, and social conditions that led to the rise of the dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo in the Dominican Republic. It also summarizes the country's history from 1916 to 1937.
This is the second of the three-part series based on the political and social events taking place in the Dominican Republic from 1938 to 1952. Among the most important events discussed: the invasions of Cayo Confites and Luperón, the PSP, the group of Juventud Democrática (Democratic Youth), 1946 sugar strike, and the cooperation between Trujillo and the United States before the beginning of the Cold War.
Trujillo: El Poder del Jefe III. Directed by Rene Fortunato. Santo Domingo, 1996. Spanish. Color; 80 minutes.
This is the third of the three –part series. Details the most important events happening in the Dominican Republic from August 16, 1952 to November 18, 1961 (when Ramfis Trujillo and his family leave the country). It traces the main events of that period including the trip of Trujillo to Spain, La Feria de la Paz, the Galíndez case, the invasion of June 14, the assassination of the dictator and the faith of those who participated in the plot to kill Trujillo.
Up From the Margins: Diversitiy as Challenge to the Democratic Nation/Desde La Orilla: La Diversidad Como Reto de la Nacion Democratica. Coordinated by the CUNY Dominincan Studies Institute with the support of the Rockefeller Foundation and INTEC. English and Spanish. June 22-23, 2001 (The City College of New York) and June 29-30 (Hotel Santo Domingo, Santo domingo).
This is a two-part multidisciplinary, international symposium on the role of homogeneity in standard definitions of Dominicanness and the place of diversity in the social agendas proclaimed by the global society.
Interview with Silvio Torres-Saillant (CUNY Dominican Studies Institute), Tomás Ybarra Frausto (Rockefeller Foundation) and Rafael Toribio (INTEC). Tema de la identidad. Programa Uno mas Uno. Santo Domingo. June 28, 2001. Spanish. Color; 37 minutes.
An interview with the sponsors and coordinators of "Up from the Margins: Diversity as Challenge to the Democratic Nation," one of the panels of a multidisciplinary, international symposium on the role of homogeneity in standard definitions of Dominicanness and the place of diversity in the social agendas proclaimed by the global society.
Panels in New York
Friday, June 22
I. Migration, Ethnicity and Changing Identities. New York. English and Spanish. Two Audio Tapes; 180 minutes.
The experiences of cocolos, Arabs, and Japanese in the Dominican Republic, among other topics, are discussed. Features Norberto James Rawlings (Boston Latin School), Lisa Boerson (University of Amsterdam), Orlando Inoa (UASD), Gina Gallardo (Secretaría de Estado de la Mujer), Mu-Kien Adriana Sang (PUCMM).
II. Words, Images, and Sounds of Differences. Santo Domingo. Spanish. Audio Tape; 90 minutes.
Silvestrina Rodríguez from the University of the Sacred Heart shows pictures of the life of Dominican women in the Dominican Republic. Boni Raposo and La 21 División performs Afro-Dominican music. Moderated by Silvio Torres-Saillant (CUNY Dominican Studies Institute).
III. The University, Policy Making and Diversity. New York. Spanish. Audio Tape; 90 minutes.
The issue of diversity is analyzed by elected officials and academic scholars. Featuring Ramona Hernández (University of Massachusetts-Boston), Jay Hershenson (City Universitiy of New York), Adriano Espaillat (New York State Assembly), Rafael Toribio (INTEC) and Frank Moya Pons (Dominican Minister of the Environment).
Saturday, June 23
I. Sex, Gender, and Politics. New York. Spanish. Audio Tape; 90 minutes.
Issues of gender, sexuality, and the role of the Catholic church in the Dominican Republic. Featuring Ramonina Brea (PUCMM), Isis Duarte (Participación Ciudadana), Denise Paiewonski (INTEC), Sara Perez (journalist), and Dulce Reyes (New York Immigration).
II. Culture, Ideology, and Everyday Life. New York. English and Spanish. Audio Tape; 116 minutes.
The role culture plays in our daily life. Featuring Gerald Murray (University of Florida), Diógenes Céspedes (El Siglo newspaper), José Ernesto Oviedo (Partido de los Trabajadores Dominicanos), and Dagoberto Tejeda Ortiz (Instituto Dominicano de Folklor).
III. Diverse Society, Homogenous Nation. New York. English. Audio Tape; 90 minutes.
Featuring Roberto Cassá (Autonomous University of Santo Domingo - UASD), Jorge Duany (University of Puerto Rico), and Yolanda Martínez San Miguel (Rutgers University).
Panels in Santo Domingo
Friday, June 29
I. Afirmación de la Diferencia y Reclamo Ciudadano. Santo Domingo. Spanish. Color; 116 minutes.
Rethinking the diasporas. A discussion of the different ethnic groups in the United States. Featuring Felix Matos Rodríguez (Center for Puerto Rican Studies, CUNY), Michel Laguerre (University of California), Gilberto Cárdenas, and Allert Brown-Allert (Inter-University Program for Latino Research, University of Notre Dame), and James De Jongh (Institute for the Research of African Diaspora in the Caribbean).
II. Palabras, Ritmos y Diferencias. Santo Domingo. English and Spanish. Color; 120 minutes.
Issues of race and identity represented in literature, theater, and the academia. Featuring Ramona Hernandez (University of Massachusetts-Boston), Blas Jimenez (UNESCO), and Josefina Baez (Latinarte/Ay Ombe).
III. Educación, Política Pública y Diversidad. Santo Domingo. Spanish. Color; 120 minutes.
Issues of education, public policy and diversity. Featuring Virtudes Uribe (La Trinitaria Bookstore/Publisher), Frank Moya Pons (Minister of Environment), Tomás Ybarra Frausto (Rockefeller Foundation), and Milagros Ortiz Bosch (DR Vice President and Secretary of Education).
Saturday, June 30
I. Migración y los Ejes Cambiantes de la Indentidad. Santo Domingo. English and Spanish. Color; 99 minutes.
Issues of identity, race, migration, and education. Featuring Ginetta Candelario (Smith College), Nancy López (University of New Mexico, Albuquerque), Anthony Stevens-Acevedo (Gregorio Luperón Preparatory School), Bernarda I. Jiménez (Dominican women's group in Spain - VOMADE), and Manuel Cordero (Asociación Domínico-Boricua, University Sagrado Corazón).
II. El Discurso de la Homogeneidad y la Desigualdad Social. Santo Domingo. Spanish. Color; 95 minutes.
Issues of human rights of prisoners, Dominicans of Haitian descent, as well as gays and lesbians. Featuring Franklin Franco Pichardo (UASD), Domingo Moreno (UNIBE), Luis Barrios (John Jay College), Marcos Villamán (INTEC), and Yuderkis Espinosa (Gaylesdom).
III. Género, Raza y Construcción Política de La Nación. Santo Domingo. Spanish. Color; 120 minutes.
Issues of race, gender, human rights, and identity. Featuring Daisy Cocco de Filippis (York College), Solange Pierre (Movement of Haitian-Dominican Women -MUDHA), Jacqueline Jiménez Polanco (John Jay College), Elka Scheker Mendoza (FLACSO), and Belkis Necos (Dominican Studies Institute).
IV. Palabras de Clausura. Santo Domingo. English and Spanish. Color; 45 minutes.
The closing of "Up from the Margins: Diversity as Challenge to the Democratic Nation," the multidisciplinary, international symposium on the role of homogeneity in standard definitions of Dominicanness and the place of diversity in the social agendas proclaimed by the global society.
Viaje al Centro de la Historia: curso audio visual de Jimmy Sierra [Journey to the Center of History: an audiovisual course kit by Jimmy Sierra]. Produced by Jimmy Sierra. Santo Domingo, 2004 Spanish. Color. 5 DVDs, 3 CDs, 1 interactive CD; 24/25 minutes.
This is a Dominican history audio visual course kit that covers the history of the Dominican Republic from the colonization period to the year 2004. The course kit has been approved as a teaching tool by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology among others. It includes a book, five DVDs, three musical CDs and one interactive CD. The audiovisual part of this course kit is based on historical research by Frank Moya Pons, Roberto Cassá, Franklin Franco, Bernardo Vega, Hugo Tolentino, Doña María Ugarte, Raymundo González, Emilio Cordero Michel, Carmen Durán, José Antinoe Fiallo, Tirso Mejía Ricart, Juan Bosch, Tulio H. Arvelo, Pedro Mir among others.
Washington Heights. Directed by Alfredo de Villa. Produced by Luis Dantas, Tom Donahue, Manny Pérez and Alfredo de Villa. New York, 2003. English and Spanish subtitles. Color, 85 minutes. DVD
This film tells the story of two sons of a Dominican immigrant family who live in Washington Heights, New York. This is a story about their dreams and hopes as they try to deal with the obstacles they face.
Women of Hope: Latinas Abriendo Camino. Bread and Roses Cultural Project. New York, 1996. English. Color; 29 minutes.
The experience of twelve ground-breaking Latina women: 1. Adriana Ocampo (Colombian-Argentinian, Planetary, Geologist), 2. Antonia Hernández (Chicana Civil Rights Lawyer), 3. Ana Sol Gutierres (Salvadorian Engineer), 4. Miriam Colón (Puertorican, Actress and Director), 5. Dolores Huerta (Chicana Labor Organizer), 6. Julia Alvarez (Dominican Novelist and Poet), 7. Helen Rodriguez-Trias (Puerto Rican Physician), 8. Sandra Cisneros (Chicana Novelist), 9. Amalia Mesa-Bains (Chicana Artist, Critic and Activist), 10. Antonia Pantoja (Puerto Rican Educator and Founder of ASPIRA), 11. Tania León (Cuban Composer and Conductor), 12. Nydia Velázquez (Puerto Rican U.S. Congresswoman).
Women to Women. CUNY TV-75. New York, 2005. English. Color, 30 minutes.
Hosted by Dr. Frances Degen Horowitz, President of the City University Graduate Center. An interview with Dr. Ramona Hernández, Director of the CUNY-Dominican Studies Institute of the City College of New York.
Words from the Sea: Caribbean Diaspora Voices in U.S. Literature. Conference organized by the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute, 1997. English. Color; Three Videos 1 hour 5 minutes each.
These videos cover a day-long literary event on the work of three major writers from the English, French, and Spanish Caribbean: Barbadian Kamau Brathwaite, Haitian Edwidge Danticat, and Dominican-American Junot Diaz. Also featuring Elaine Savory Jones, Marie- José N'Zengou-Tayo, and Alfredo Villanueva Collado.
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This documentary is an account of the political situation in the Dominican Republic from the death of dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo (1961) to the election of Joaquín Balaguer in 1966. The 1965 civil war and the U.S. military invasion are analyzed in detail.
The land of the Dominican Republic and its people are viewed geographically and culturally. The migration process also is discussed, with a description of the Dominican community in the United States.
This is a visual representation of the natural resources of the Dominican Republic .
This documentary film focuses on the experience of the Dominican women who are forced to migrate to Puerto Rico and then to New York due to the precarious socioeconomic conditions in the Dominican Republic. It also examines the different means whereby Dominicans abandon the native country, including illegal passage on the dangerous yolas (small boats) trip.
This documentary presents the biographies of naturalists and botanists who explored the island of Hispaniola.
This documentary shows the dramatic events that took place immediately after the assassination of dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo. It shows the "Unión Cívica" and "14 de Junio" demonstrations against the Trujillo followers, the efforts of Joaquín Balaguer and Ramfis Trujillo to continue in power, the seminal activities of the political party PRD, the elections of 1962, and the rise to power of Juan Bosch, among other events.
This is the story of the Mirabal sisters during the dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo. The movie is based on Julia Alvarez's historical novel In the Time of the Butterflies. Directed by Mariano Barroso. Featuring Salma Hayek, Marc Anthony, and Edward James Olmos.
This film portrays the troubles and triumphs of the Ortizes -- five Dominicans who must cope with being a bicultural family while they negotiate the hurdles of their adopted city.
This film documents the life of Balbuena (Luisito Martí), a Dominican immigrant who struggles for a better life in New York City.
This is a CUNY TV show featuring interviews by author Carmen Bullosa with American journalist Barbara Probst Solomon and seminal Dominican novelist, archeologist and academic Marcio Veloz Maggiolo.
A movie about Victor (Victor Rasuk) and his Dominican-American family who live on the Lower East Side of New York. His grandmother (Altagracia Guzmán) is having problems with Victor, his brother Nino (Silvestre Rasuk), and Vicky (Melonie Díaz) who are trying to be more independent. Victor's relationship with Judy (Judy Marte) forces him to reexamine the way he is acting and to begin the process of maturing.
This is the first of a three-part documentary based on the political, economic, and social conditions that led to the rise of the dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo in the Dominican Republic. It also summarizes the country's history from 1916 to 1937.
This is the second of the three-part series based on the political and social events taking place in the Dominican Republic from 1938 to 1952. Among the most important events discussed: the invasions of Cayo Confites and Luperón, the PSP, the group of Juventud Democrática (Democratic Youth), 1946 sugar strike, and the cooperation between Trujillo and the United States before the beginning of the Cold War.
This is the third of the three –part series. Details the most important events happening in the Dominican Republic from August 16, 1952 to November 18, 1961 (when Ramfis Trujillo and his family leave the country). It traces the main events of that period including the trip of Trujillo to Spain, La Feria de la Paz, the Galíndez case, the invasion of June 14, the assassination of the dictator and the faith of those who participated in the plot to kill Trujillo.
This film tells the story of two sons of a Dominican immigrant family who live in Washington Heights, New York. This is a story about their dreams and hopes as they try to deal with the obstacles they face.