OUR PROJECTS

Our projects span a decade and have gone through many important phases. The Mariposa Cultural Foundation’s role during this time has been to perform a diverse range of fundraising and promotional activities for the films in order for them to be conceived and produced, premiere at important locations, as well as reach US and international film festivals, and be aired in countries around the world. The Foundation also supported the organizing of premieres and promotional activities.

 

Some of our film projects:

 

--Cuba Mia: Portrait of an All-Woman Orchestra.

This documentary was filmed in 2001 and 2002.  It is the story of a chamber orchestra in Havana, Cuba who is rehearsing for a very important concert in the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi.  We follow the orchestra as the nine women and their conductor go about their daily lives, study, work and rehearse, and in so doing we learn much about the intimate lives of artists and their families in modern-day Cuba.

 

The Foundation was instrumental in securing a Ford Foundation grant to begin filming in the US and subsequently in Cuba in two separate trips.  Once produced and editing was completed, the Foundation supported submissions to international festivals, placement of the documentary on national and international television networks.

 

--Code Name: Butterflies. 

This documentary was filmed in two separate phases:  1998 and 2003.  It is the story of the Mirabal sisters who fought for freedom and democracy and against dictator Rafael Trujillo in the Dominican Republic. In the first phase, the director interviewed over forty survivors who were repressed by the regime. In the second phase, key scenes in the story were recreated with dramatic talent.  We learn much about the courage it takes to defy and act against a dictator as ruthless as Trujillo and to risk everything for the ideal of justice and freedom.

The Foundation was instrumental in securing funding from various sources, including Dominican residents in New York, and the Dominican government. The Foundation helped set up recording of the Spanish-language narration with Oscar nominated film star Catalina Sandino Moreno, produce the musical recording with composer Angie Del Riego and musicians in New York. 

 

Once produced and editing was completed, the Foundation supported submissions to international festivals, placement of the documentary on national and international television networks. The Foundation also supported the organizing of premieres and promotional activities.

 

--Havana City of Soul. Walking the Streets of History.

This documentary was filmed in Havana Cuba in 2004.  All of the most important historical buildings and monuments were filmed in order to be able to tell the story of the city of Havana from its colonial beginnings to the mid 20th Century.  The two one-hour videos were shot and produced as an educational tool for students visiting the city. 

 

The Foundation was instrumental in securing funding for travel, shooting and post-production of the two-part educational series.