Jeroen Leinders | Curaçao, Netherlands|2013 | 100' | English |Dutch subtitles
Jeroen Leinders originally worked in advertising. He spent a large part of his youth on the island of Curaçao, but it was only just five years ago and by sheer coincidence that he stumbled upon the history of Tula, the leader of a slave uprising in the late 18th century on the island. To his astonishment no one had as yet used this story in any way, reason for him to take it on himself and write the historical novel Tula, Lost Freedom, which he has now made into a film.
Curaçao, 17 August 1795: Tula the slave learns from his fiancée Speranza about the success of a large slave revolt which led to the end of slavery on the French island of Haiti. Tula has always been acutely aware of the injustice and immoral nature of slavery and decides to stand up against the Dutch colonial rulers. He convinces a group of about fifty slaves to join him and together they inform their master and the plantation's owner Van Uytrecht that they refuse to work for him any longer. With that the uprising is a fact.
Leinders has managed to assemble an impressive cast, including Obi Abili as Tula, Jeroen Krabbé, Danny Glover, Henriëtte Tol and Derek de Lint. Van Uytrecht is played by Jeroen Willems in his very last role.
The director Jeroen Leinders will be present for a Q&A after the screening.
Rialto: Fri 16 aug – 21:45