Sugar Cane Malice

Mal de caña

Dominican Republic & Spain // 2021 // Documentary // LOS FEATURES

PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE

LOLA AWARD NOMINEE

Agricultural workers harvesting sugar cane.
Sugar Cane Malice poster; side profile of woman looking straight-ahead in a car; blurry background of the outside greenery

Far from the eyes of the countless tourists who seek relaxation in the Dominican Republic’s verdant tropical resorts, tens of thousands of undocumented Haitian immigrants labor in the fields of the former sugar colony. Through interviews with, and observational footage of, several families, this film explores a vicious cycle that devalues those who make up a major part of the island’s workforce, stripping them of the chance for empowerment or opportunity and forcing them to endure instability, poor living conditions, and meager pay. Even still, workers and community organizers seek change and accountability from the private sugar companies that rule one of the island’s key industries with near impunity, while a new generation of immigrant children strive for a better life, encouraged and bolstered by the sacrifices of their parents.

Director: Juan A. Zapata
Producer: Sergio Grobas, Oriol Cortacans

Documentary
Spanish with English subtitles
76 minutes

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