INTERVIEW: José María Cabral’s ‘Woodpeckers’ finds love on the inside
Filmmaker José María Cabral’s new film, Woodpeckers (Carpinteros), is an emotional look at a relationship that plays out in the notorious Najayo prison outside Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.
Julián (Jean Jean) is serving a jail sentence for petty theft, and he becomes immersed in the uniqueness of “Woodpecking,” a sign language that male inmates use to communicate with female inmates located across the prison yard. One female prisoner, Yanelly (Judith Rodriguez Perez), responds to Julián’s messages, and an unlikely relationship — spanning 400 feet — begins to blossom.
Woodpeckers was filmed in a real prison with many inmates portraying the supporting characters. This lends itself to authenticity and intimacy throughout the drama.
Recently, Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Cabral, who is considered one of the most important Dominican filmmakers in the last few years. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
What inspired you tell this story?
The contrast of finding love in a very hostile place like prison. The first time I came in contact with the sign language, and when I discovered it was not used to traffic any drugs or incite violence, but its only purpose was to communicate with someone else with strong intimacy and affection, was the key moment of my decision of making this film.
Could you describe the casting process and the filming locations? Was authenticity an important aspect to achieve?
Authenticity was everything. That’s why 80 percent of the actors are real inmates, and that’s why we shot in [a] real location. Not only was it [a] real location, but if we had a lunch scene, we shot it at lunch time. We shot the real food, the real basketball game, real props. I wanted it to feel true to the universe, almost as if you were watching a documentary.
What do you hope the audience learns from the film?
I don’t like to tell them what to learn. I would encourage them to find something, to look for the hidden subtexts behind the movie, to learn their own sign language and give it a meaning.
What was going through your mind when Woodpeckers played before an audience for the first time?
A lot! I was thinking the whole time: Are they liking it? Do people understand how this sign language works? Is it interesting enough? Can they connect to the characters desires?
Is it difficult to have a film jump from the film festival circuit and into movie theaters for the general public?
Yes! And more [for] a foreign film, but fortunately we got the right people to move it forward.
How vibrant is the filmmaking scene in the Dominican Republic?
It’s starting to be very vibrant. We have a film law that started about five years ago, and now we are making about 10-15 movies a year. This is just getting started!
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Woodpeckers (Carpinteros) opens Friday, Sept. 15 in New York City. Click here for more information.
