La otra conquista (1998)

It is May 1520 in the vast Aztec Empire one year after the Spanish Conqueror Hernán Cortés' arrival in Mexico. "The Other Conquest" opens with the infamous massacre of the Aztecs at the ... See full summary »

Director:

Salvador Carrasco

Writer:

Salvador Carrasco

Stars:

Damián Delgado, José Carlos Rodríguez, Elpidia Carrillo

2 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Damián Delgado	...	Topiltzin / Tomás
José Carlos Rodríguez	...	Fray Diego de La Coruña
Elpidia Carrillo	...	Tecuichpo / Doña Isabel
Iñaki Aierra	...	Hernando Cortés
Honorato Magaloni	...	Capitán Cristóbal Quijano
Guillermo Ríos	...	Alanpoyatzin - hermano
Josefina Echánove	...	Nanahuatzin - abuela
Zaide Silvia Gutiérrez	...	Beata Conversa
Álvaro Guerrero	...	Rolando
Rufino Echegoyen	...	Fray Sebastián
Lourdes Villareal	...	Cihuacóatl - sumo sacerdote
Luisa Ávila	...	Xilonen - Princesa
Ramon Barragan	...	Ramón Quevedo - notario
Diana Bracho	...	Doña Juana
José Luis Caro	...	Padre Santa María (as José Luis Carol)

Storyline

It is May 1520 in the vast Aztec Empire one year after the Spanish Conqueror Hernán Cortés' arrival in Mexico. "The Other Conquest" opens with the infamous massacre of the Aztecs at the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan [what is now called Mexico City]. The sacred grounds are covered with the countless bodies of priests and nobility slaughtered by the Spanish Armies under Cortés' command. The lone Aztec survivor of the massacre is a young Indian scribe named Topiltzin [Damián Delgado]. Topiltzin, who is the illegitimate son of the Aztec Emperor Moctezuma, survives the onslaught by burying himself under a stack of bodies. As if awakening from a dream, the young man rises from among the dead to find his mother murdered, the Spanish in power and the dawn of a new era in his native land. A New World with new leaders, language, customs... and God. Representing the New Order is the Spanish Friar Diego [José Carlos Rodríguez]. His mission is to convert the "savage" natives into civilised ...

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Plot Keywords:

aztec | 1520s | indian | religion | native american | 

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Taglines:

An encounter that is not forgotten...

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Genres:

Drama | History

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for scenes of violence and some strong sexuality/nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Arenas Entertainment [us] Carrasco & Domingo Films USA, Inc.

Country:

Mexico

Language:

Spanish

Release Date:

1 April 1999 (Mexico)

Also Known As:

The Other Conquest

Filming Locations:

Convento de Acolman, Estado de México, Mexico

Box Office

Budget:

$3,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$305,308 (USA) (21 April 2000)

Gross:

$886,410 (USA) (19 May 2000)

Company Credits

Production Co:

ADO Entertainment, Carrasco & Domingo Films S.A. de C.V., Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes (CONACULTA)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min 106 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

[first lines]
Topiltzin: [in Nahuatl] Mother!

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Crazy Credits

The people and animals that appear in this film did not suffer any kind of physical or psychological damage.

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Soundtracks

"Aria 'Mater Aeterna'"
Performed by Plácido Domingo
Music by Samuel Zyman
Lyrics by Salvador Carrasco

User Reviews

A very poignant critique of religion

This film explores the relationships between politics, religion, spirituality, and culture, focusing on some true and some fabricated events of the Spanish invasion of the Aztecs. Biting, the film charges with the idea that the nature of culture and the strength of a highly traditional belief system is not conquerable. Stressing the strength and perseverance of the human will, the film yields unforgettable images, some that stress the deep connection between humanity and religion. One immortal image is of a statue of the Virgin Mary being carefully supported down from a high place with ropes. In this image, the true condition of organized religion is viewed; one that is undeniably buttressed by the will of the people.

With this powerful look at cross-cultural interactions and the strong statements about the role of the missionary, the movie grips its audience, leaving us with a feeling that all human beliefs are related and filtered by our very similar eyes. The message that this movie sends about religious disputes is one of great importance and even greater shrewdness on the part of the movie's creators.