For almost 3 hours it nailed me in front of the tv. A great story, one of the best Spanish spoken movies I've seen. It was a surprise hit just as the original: The secret in their eyes.
I watched this last evening and enjoyed it as well. Engaging story, beautiful cinematography.
shareI just watched this on Netflix and was riveted.
My son's great grandfather was involved in the beginnings of the banana and fruit trade in Nicaragua, Honduras and Mexico. Lots of politics involved and fascinating to learn about, as was this.
Besides the fascinating history, it was poignant and sensitive. Great movie! I rated it a 10.
But, I was unclear about one thing. Was Fernando the son of Kilian or Jacobo from the rape?
Fernando Laha was the son of Jacobo resulting from the brutal rape which is why Clarence was so remorseful to Daniela Bisila. Kilian also asks Daniela Bisila of they can be a family their future children will never know Fernando was conceived by his brother that it would be their secret and everyone will assume he is his dad. That also means Fernando Laha & Clarence are half-brother and half-sister sharing the same father.
shareWas this in the book otherwise I'm not sure how you know this..
I thought he made the comment because Bisila's first child was conceived by her husband. He was just letting her know that he would love both children equally.
Hello..
I enjoyed this movie and had a few questions...
1. How are we sure that Jacobo is the father when she was raped by 3 men?
2. What exactly did Basilia receive in the mail? Why did she walk into the ocean to die?
3. Did Killian marry? Or just had a child?
4. Why do you think he never sent for Basilia and the boys?
5. Since Basilia is now dead, does this mean her sons will live with Kilian and his family?
Thank you in advance to whoever answers this... =)
Hi. I have similar questions to yours, but I'll tell you what I "think" happened.
1. How are we sure that Jacobo is the father when she was raped by 3 men?
We aren't. I'm not sure who said the boy was Jacobo's? It would be impossible to know for sure without a DNA test. They didn't exist back in 1962, definitely not in the middle of Africa. I had just "assumed" the boy was Killian's son.
2. What exactly did Basilia receive in the mail? Why did she walk into the ocean to die?
My guess is it was a letter confirming Killian's death. And since he was dead, she went with him as is the custom in some African villages. When the husband dies - though typically the king or tribal leader - the head wife must kill herself to go and tend to his needs in the afterlife (which is bullocks). And since Bisilia considered herself his wife in the heart (and Mosi's wife out of obligation) she killed herself to join Killian.
3. Did Killian marry? Or just had a child? I want to know this too!
4. Why do you think he never sent for Basilia and the boys?
I have read up on this Equator Guinea. After the Spanish left the colony went to hell. They had/have almost no human rights law and basically live under a police state. I'm guessing because of that, Bisila and her children - who rightfully belonged to Bioko, couldn't leave as Bisila had no legal right to call herself Killian's wife. And the kids weren't legally his. Killian couldn't get her out, and he couldn't stay there with them as all whites were either ordered to leave or were killed.
5. Since Bisila is now dead, does this mean her sons will live with Kilian and his family?
It looked as if that were the case. The older son will no undoubtedly continue a relationship with his defacto cousin Clarence.
Hi. You are making a very wide-sweeping assumption about who the baby's father is. I agree with the other poster, unless this was specifically spelled out in the book, how can you be sure who sired the child? The writers intentionally - in my opinion - make Bisila look pregnant directly after the rape, which to me indicates she was already pregnant when they raped her. Which would mean Killian is the father. The fact that she regularly met with Killian prior to the rape would give more probability that he's the father. Although technically there really wouldn't have been a way of knowing for sure back then. And the fact that the two sons show up at Killian's home at the end suggests that Killian was the father - I sincerely hope so.
If you watched and read the subtitles it should be easy to figure out. When Laha asked Bisilia if Killian is his father, she shook her head "no". When Killian firdt saw Laha he said his future siblings wouldn't know the difference. Those two clues makes it obvious the child is not Killian's.
Now, while Bisilia's first son is from her husband, who is medium toned, and Bisilia is a couple shades lighter than him, casting still chose an extremely dark-skinned (almost purple) baby. Clearly, when they chose the lighter second child with more loose curls, they intended for it to be seen as a mixed baby (though in real life, a baby from two brown parents could easily look like that). Knowing that the baby is not Killian's (both parents deny it), it has to be one of the three white men that raped Bisilia.
I agree, and on the other hand, it seems that Killian had been in Spain for several months before Bisila was raped... so he couldn't have been the father.
shareGreat. I am adding it to my queue for this weekend based on your post. Thanks!
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"Can we all just parachute down from Cloud Coo-coo Land?" Jimmy-Better Call Saul
Excellent movie. I saw it on Netflix and, I am not ashamed to admit, I sobbed like a child in the end. It was absolutely heartbreaking. Good acting, beautiful filming and equally good-looking and talented actors.
And I almost didn't give it a chance because it was in Spanish. Luckily the English subtitles were available and, my oh my, what a treat this movie was! Spanish cinematography, once again, does not disappoint.