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The Other Conquest

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Cast: Damián Delgado,José Carlos Rodríguez,Elpidia Carrillo,Iñaki Aierra

Producer(s): Mark Strange

Director(s): Alvaro Domingo

Genre:Drama / History

Year: 1999

Rating: R

There's some movies that really touch you in ways no other can, The Other Conquest is one of those film's. On November 8, 1519 the Spanish Conqueror Hernando Cortés and his small army rode into the Aztec capital of the vast Mexican Empire, where they were welcomed by the Emperor Moctezuma. Within two years, the Aztec civilization was in a state of orphanage, the survivors having lost their families, homes, language, temples... and Gods The Other Conquest opens in May 1520 when Topiltzin (Damián Delgado), a skillful Aztec scribe who is one of Moctezuma's illegitimate sons, survives the Massacre of the Great Temple by hiding under a corpse. After the Spaniards leave the sacred site, he finds his people dead, including his mother. By 1526 Topiltzin is still striving to preserve the cult of Tonantzin, the Aztec Mother Goddess. When a squadron commanded by Captain Cristóbal (Honorato Magaloni) and Friar Diego (José Carlos Rodríguez) discover the clandestine human sacrifice of a beautiful Aztec princess, two incompatible ways of life come face to face... - and violence erupts. Topiltzin manages to escape by making Friar Diego believe he is drawn to the statue of the Virgin Mary that accompanies the Spaniards wherever they go. He is eventually captured and presented to Hernando Cortés (Iñaki Aierra), who has just returned from an ill-fated campaign to Honduras. In an attempt to create a hybrid empire, Cortés has taken Emperor Moctezuma's daughter and heiress, the notorious Tecuichpo (Elpidia Carrillo), as his new mistress and interpreter. She reveals that Topiltzin is her half-brother, and a skeptical Cortés spares the young man's life, but in turn decides to convert him to the new Spanish ways with the aid of Tecuichpo (from now on, Doña Isabel) and Friar Diego. After being subject to a brutal ritual of conversion, Topiltzin (now called Tomás) is confined in the Franciscan Monastery of Our Lady of Light.

The Other Conquest picks up where Gibson's "Apocalypto" left off, when the Europeans arrive. Originally released in Mexico in 2000, the film tells the tale of the Aztec people and how they not only lost their land but their right to their religious beliefs as well when during the Spanish Military Conquest of Mexico. Director Salvador Carrasco paints a emotional and life-altering picture of the happenings in 1520. The film is a lot of things,beautiful,brutal,romantic and educational all at the same time. It contains breath-taking photography and music that captivates. This film touches you on so many levels, up till now it has only been seen my a limited audience but with this DVD releases everyone can now own this masterpiece. The DVD with bonus features that include:

Director's Commentary

Cast and Crew Interviews

Behind The Scenes

Deleted Scenes and much more.

Released by Union Station Media. ***** Out Of ******