SXSW Doc ‘42nd Street’ Tells Untold Stories From Santo Domingo’s Troubled Cultural Hotspot in First Trailer (EXCLUSIVE)

variety.com:

Anna Marie de la Fuente The Dominican Republic’s Jose Maria Cabral, best known for his reality-grounded prison drama “Woodpeckers” (“Carpinteros”), has ventured into documentary filmmaking for the fourth time with his bracing portrait of Santo Domingo’s titular “42nd Street” (“La 42”).

He debuts its trailer exclusively in Variety ahead of its SXSW world premiere on March 7. It is here on 42nd Street of the infamous Capotillo neighborhood where the cacophony of music, art and dance clash with local police who sweep into the area, two to a motorbike, and arrest people willy-nilly, many times for simply dancing late at night. “When we think of La 42, yes, we know there is crime, we know there is drug trafficking, but that’s not the only reality.

There are many good people there, many artistic, creative and talented individuals who just want to move forward,” says Cabral. “For me, that is the role of my documentary—to put a face to all these people who, every day, exist in a very hostile environment but still create art, determined to share it, to build an identity, without any structure or anyone giving them large sums of money,” he adds. “I want people to get to know these anonymous individuals, the ones who aren’t famous, and to see how they work daily to bring their art to life, to connect with an audience, and to build a community,” he stresses.

The most prevalent music played here is Dembow, derived from the phrase “Dem Bow” in Jamaican Patois, which means “They Bow,” referring to a call for resistance against foreign cultural influences.