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:

El espíritu de un pueblo trasciende cualquier conquista.

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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

An Epic story with an important message. A modern MUST SEE

This movie has the tone of an epic story and a universal message of tolerance. The beautiful shots and the storytelling grab you from the first image and bring the audience in a journey through history following the uneasy path of the main character. But the story is never easy to guess and the feeling to witness something real is what keeps you on the edge of your seat. The characters never feel one-dimensional or convenient, they are part of the story and their historical role is portrayed in details. But there is something more: the story behind the movie. The making of it is, per se, an amazing adventure that every aspiring filmmaker must see.