85 minutes / Color
Spanish / English subtitles
Release: 2015
Copyright: 2013
Roque Dalton is one of El Salvador's most celebrated poets, but he was also a revolutionary whose works were once banned in his own country.
ROQUE DALTON: LET'S SHOOT THE NIGHT! looks back on the life of this key figure in the movement resisting military dictatorship in El Salvador, and sheds new light on the circumstances of his murder, at age 39, by fellow revolutionaries.
Tina Leisch takes a unique approach to telling the story of Dalton's life, introducing us to nearly two dozen people who knew him-including his widow and two surviving sons, fellow writers, comrades, and lovers-and accompanies them to meaningful locations from his life. Dalton's work is also front-and-center in the film, with excerpts from his writings read by peers, family members, and people on the street.
ROQUE DALTON: LET'S SHOOT THE NIGHT! is a multi-faceted exploration not only of the life of one revolutionary writer, but also of the culture of social ferment that washed through Latin America in the late 20th century.
"Should serve to redress the historical and political maturity of a country in the process of social transformation."—El Tecolote
"A more than fitting homage."—Morning Star
"Very deeply emotional and resonates with every person who cares about the oppressed... excellent screen shots and sound... flows well. Recommended."—Educational Media Reviews Online
Select Accolades
Meet the Nobel Prize-winning author of works including One Hundred Years of Solitude.
Justin Webster | 2015 | 90 minutes | Color | Spanish | English subtitles
Four filmmakers travel with guerrillas into combat in El Salvador.
Frank Christopher and Alex Drehsler | 1984 | 75 minutes | Color
