VivirLatino

Excuse the Rican for a moment as she promotes the screening of this film featuring the work of people who have many years in the struggle for Puerto Rico’s freedom including former political prisoner Dyclia Pagan. If you are in the NYC area tonite and don’t want to babysit my kids so I can go and see this, then please support Machetro.

Saturday, August 1, 2009 at 10:00pm
Clearview CInemas Chelsea
260 West 23rd Street NY NY 10011
New York, NY

The island nation of Puerto Rico has been a victim of imperialism for over 500 years. It was a colony of Spain for 400 years and has been a colony of the United States for the past 111 years and is the oldest colony in the western hemisphere. Throughout that time there has always been a resistance movement that has often times been violent. Vagabond’s award winning debut feature film MACHETERO uses the colonial condition of Puerto Rico to explore issues of terrorism and the cyclical nature of violence that it brings.

Written, produced and directed by Vagabond
Starring Isaach De Bankolé, Not4Prophet, Kelvin Fernandez and Dylcia Pagan

“If you are not profoundly moved by Machetero, check your pulse.” – Bill Quigley, Legal Director for the Center for Constitutional Rights

MACHETERO is writer, producer, director Vagabond’s debut feature film that has been playing at film festivals around the world and winning awards. A new cut of the film is making its world premiere at the prestigious 10th Annual New York International Latino Film Festival on August 1st at 10PM at the Clearview Cinemas Chelsea 230 West 23rd Street between 7th and 8th avenues. The New York International Latino Film Festival is one of the largest and well-known festivals of its kind.

In the tradition of Gillo Pontecorvo’s Battle Of Algiers, Melvin Van Peebles Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song and Sam Greenlee’s The Spook Who Sat By The Door, Vagabond’s MACHETERO is a meditation on violence as a means toward liberation. French journalist Jean Dumont, played by Isaach de Bankolé (Ghost Dog, Casino Royale, The Limits Of Control) interviews Pedro Taino a so-called “Puerto Rican Terrorist” played by Not4Prophet (lead singer of the Puerto Punk band RICANSTRUCTION) in a New York prison. Pedro is a self-described Machetero fighting to free Puerto Rico from the yoke of US colonialism. Obsessed with freedom, Jean questions Pedro about his decision to use violence as a means to achieve that freedom.

As Jean and Pedro speak, a Ghetto Youth played by Kelvin Fernandez (in his first starring role) struggles to survive the colonial condition. A revolutionary spirit instilled in him from childhood by a mentor played by former Puerto Rican Prisoner of War, Dylcia Pagan (who did 20 years in US prisons) is reawakened after reading a pamphlet authored by Pedro called the Anti-manifesto. The Ghetto Youth then goes on a journey to transform himself into the next Machetero.

MACHETERO is structured around songs from the album, “Liberation Day” by RICANSTRUCTION. The songs are incorporated as a modern day Punk Rock Greek chorus. RICANSTRUCTION also improvised a score for the film that moves from hardcore be-bop punk to layered Afro-Rican rhythms.