Black Butterfly (2006)
"Mariposa negra" (original title)

A Peruvian schoolteacher conspires with a journalist to assassinate the official responsible for her fiancé's murder.

Director:

Francisco J. Lombardi

Writers:

Alonso Cueto (story), Giovanna Pollarolo

Stars:

Melania Urbina, Magdyel Ugaz, Yvonne Frayssinet

4 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Melania Urbina	...	Gabriela
Magdyel Ugaz	...	Ángela
Yvonne Frayssinet	...	Dotty Pacheco (as Ivonne Fraysinett)
Gustavo Bueno	...	Osmán
Montserrat Carulla	...	Pilar
Wendy Vásquez	...	Delia
Lluís Homar	...	Marcelo (as Luís Homar)
Liliana Trujillo	...	Aida
Ricardo Morán	...	Ramón
Raúl Varela	...	Padre de Guido
Carlos Solano	...	Artemio
Darío Abad	...	Guido Pazos
Juan Manuel Ochoa	...	Asesino
Mario Velázquez	...	El Doc
Kike Ortiz	...	Director de Peródico (as Kiki Ortíz)

Storyline

A Peruvian schoolteacher conspires with a journalist to assassinate the official responsible for her fiancé's murder.

Details

Country:

Spain Peru

Language:

Spanish

Release Date:

1 November 2006 (Peru)

Also Known As:

Black Butterfly

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fausto Producciones Cinematográficas, Inca Films S.A.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Color:

Color

User Reviews

Very moving, dramatic and disturbing

If you are looking for escapism, don't even think about watching this film. It is excellent, but it will chill your bones.

Here's the premise of the film: Gabriela, a pretty and upstanding young schoolteacher, receives a phone call to find out that her beloved fiancé, a judge dedicated to stamping out corruption, has been brutally murdered. The film's depiction of the aftermath of the murder is merciless and tragic, from the shots of the mutilated body to the scenes of Gabriela's shattering grief.

The next morning, wandering around in a fog, Gabriela finds that a local tabloid (in Lima) has published that her husband was killed during a drunken orgy with his secret male lovers. She storms the tabloid offices and throws a fit. In the process she becomes friends with the journalist who wrote the article, a jaded young woman about her age with a taste for drinking and casual sex who appears to be Gabriela's exact opposite.

Over a bottle of pisco, the grief-stricken schoolteacher vows to avenge her fiancé's death. Her journey takes her through a series of twists and turns that range from comic to horrifying, and straight to the top of Peru's power structure. That is all I can reveal, other than that this is a tragic film, not suitable for the faint-hearted, and that the film builds up a powerful head of suspense.

Overall, the performances are excellent, especially Melania Urbina's Gabriela, and the film is very well shot, full of gritty Lima street scenes contrasted with luxurious hotels.

Enjoy it, but be prepared.