This fictionalized portrayal of Emiliano Zapata, played by Alejandro Fernández, as an Indigenous Mexicanshaman, directed by Alfonso Arau, was reportedly the most expensive Mexican movie ever produced, with a massive ad campaign, and the largest ever opening in the nation's history. Unusual in the Mexican film industry, Zapata was financed independently.
Zapata made its U.S. debut at the Santa Fe Film Festival on December 3, 2004 at the Center for Contemporary Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Plot
The film happens in the last quarter of the 19th century and the first nineteen years of the twentieth, during the dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz, the presidency of Francisco I. Madero, the military revolt of Victoriano Huerta, the Convention of Generals and, finally, the death of Zapata, already in the constitutionalist stage of Venustiano Carranza. The film does not try to be a chair of history but a fable that obtains the identification of the spectators with the hero, through the successive confrontation of the protagonist with the power, represented in the antagonistic figure of Victoriano Huerta. In it, Emiliano Zapata appears like predestining, "the signal" in his chest, the mark or spot with the form of a little hand is the sign that identifies him as "the one" by the Huehuetlatolli (the heirs of the tradition) to be their guide. Thus, we see the birth of Emiliano, where he is recognized like the possible leader of his town. Zapata will have to break with his vision of the "real reality" and to enter in that other magical knowledge of the Mexican tradition and its inscrutable religious "sincretismo".
Emiliano Zapata Salazar was a leading figure in the Mexican Revolution, the main leader of the peasant revolution in the state of Morelos, and the inspiration of the agrarian movement called Zapatismo.
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle, lasting roughly from 1910 to 1920, that transformed Mexican culture and government. Although recent research has focused on local and regional aspects of the revolution, it was a genuinely national revolution. Its outbreak in 1910 resulted from the failure of the 31-year-long regime of Porfirio Díaz to find a managed solution to presidential succession. This meant there was a political crisis among competing elites and the opportunity for agrarian insurrection. Wealthy landowner Francisco I. Madero challenged Díaz in the 1910 presidential election, and following the rigged results, revolted under the Plan of San Luis Potosí. Armed conflict broke out in northern Mexico and Díaz was forced out. In the Treaty of Ciudad Juárez, Díaz resigned and went into exile, new elections were to occur in the fall, and an interim presidency under Francisco León de la Barra was installed. A new election was held in 1911, bringing Madero to the presidency.
Viva Zapata! is a 1952 biographical film directed by Elia Kazan and starring Marlon Brando. The screenplay was written by John Steinbeck, using Edgcomb Pinchon's book Zapata the Unconquerable as a guide. The cast includes Jean Peters and, in an Academy Award-winning performance, Anthony Quinn.
José Victoriano Huerta Márquez was a Mexican military officer and 35th President of Mexico, who came to power by coup.
Pascual Orozco Vázquez, Jr. was a Mexican revolutionary leader who rose up to support Francisco I. Madero in late 1910 to depose long-time president Porfirio Díaz (1876-1911). Following Díaz's resignation in May 1911 and the democratic election of Madero in November 1911, Orozco revolted against the Madero government 16 months later. When Victoriano Huerta led a coup d'état against Madero in February 1913 that deposed Madero, Orozco joined the Huerta regime. Orozco's revolt against Madero had tarnished his revolutionary reputation and his subsequent support of Huerta compounded the repugnance against him.
The Plan of Ayala was a document drafted by revolutionary leader Emiliano Zapata during the Mexican Revolution. In it, Zapata denounced President Francisco I. Madero for his perceived betrayal of the revolutionary ideals, embodied in Madero's Plan de San Luis Potosí, and set out his vision of land reform. The Plan was first proclaimed on November 28, 1911 in the town of Ayala, Morelos, and was later amended on June 19, 1914. John Womack calls the Plan the Zapatistas' "Sacred Scripture".
Genovevo de la O was an important figure in the Mexican Revolution in Morelos.
References and depictions of Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata, places and things named for and commemorating him.
Dolores Jiménez y Muro was a Mexican schoolteacher and revolutionary. A native of Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, Mexico, she rose to prominence during the Mexican Revolution as a Socialist activist and reformer and as a supporter and associate of General Emiliano Zapata.
Rafael Velasco was a Mexican film/television actor. He participated in the Cinema of Mexico from 1980 to 2004.
Zapata: El sueño del héroe is the Soundtrack for the Mexican film Zapata: El sueño del héroe and was released in May 2004, to accompany the release of the film. The lead single was the song "Lucharé por tu amor" by Alejandro Fernández and reached the top 10 of the Billboard Latin Pop Airplay chart.
Amador Salazar Jiménez was a Mexican military leader who participated in the Mexican Revolution.
The Convention of Aguascalientes was a major meeting that took place during the Mexican Revolution between the factions in the Mexican Revolution that had defeated Victoriano Huerta's Federal Army and forced his resignation and exile in July 1914.
The Conventionists were a faction led by Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata which grew in opposition to the Constitutionalists of Venustiano Carranza and Álvaro Obregón during the Mexican Revolution. It was named for the Convention of Aguascalientes of October to November 1914.
Otilio Montaño Sánchez was a Zapatista general during the Mexican Revolution.
Pablo González Garza was a Mexican General during the Mexican Revolution. He is considered to be the main organizer of the assassination of Emiliano Zapata.
Antonio Diaz Soto y Gama was a revolutionary during the Mexican Revolution and Mexican politician.
Miguel Couturier was a Mexican actor. He appeared in more than 50 films and television shows between 1983 and 2012.
Alfonso Arau Incháustegui is a Mexican actor and director.
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