Woodpeckers

Released Sep 15, 2017

1h 46m

Drama

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Woodpeckers: Trailer 1

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80%

Tomatometer

15 Reviews

91%

Audience Score

50+ Ratings

Incarcerated in the Dominican Republic, an inmate uses sign language to communicate with his imprisoned girlfriend at an adjacent institution.

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J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

[Woodpeckers] is an emotional hothouse.

Oct 26, 2017

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Matthew Lickona

San Diego Reader

Cabral's depiction of prison society feels measured and just: there is no pretending that it isn't awful, but nor is there a denial of basic human feeling.

Rated: 3/5

Sep 22, 2017

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Andy Webster

New York Times

Jos Mara Cabral's arresting drama "Woodpeckers (Carpinteros)" could be called love in a pressure cooker, but that would be understating its vivid textures and palpable vitality.

Sep 14, 2017

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Victor Pineyro

Seventh Art Studio

Somehow Cabral accomplishes an almost impossible task to talk about the raw reality of Dominican prisons, and tell a love story while doing so. Beautifully filmed. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 8/10

Sep 29, 2020

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Michael J. Casey

Boulder Weekly

The power of the real

Jul 21, 2019

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Shane Slater

AwardsCircuit.com

Woodpeckers is a film that showcases an emerging talent.

Rated: 3/4

Dec 4, 2017

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r96 s

I was hooked! 'Woodpeckers' is a terrific prison flick. I do tend to like movies in such locations, you can create some good drama within such confines. This one is no different, it doesn't necessarily do anything spectacularly unique but it executes the storyline supremely well. The plot moves along at a brisk pace, made so thanks to some interesting subplots. The acting is very good too. Jean Jean leads strongly, he is supported more than ably by Ramón Emilio Candelario and Judith Rodriguez Perez. The rest of the cast play their parts well too. The way the characters communicate for large periods is expertly portrayed, super well done. Their story comes up big at the end, I like the way they decided to go with the conclusion. Quality viewing, in my opinion. Merits more eyes on it.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/05/24

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Audience Member

Such a good movie, very intense !

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/15/23

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fernando r

A proud red tomato for this Dominican film. A love without bars.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

I just saw this at the Seattle International Film Festival, and thought it was amazing. The authenticity is extraordinary, and the actors did an outstanding job. The plot keeps you on the edge of your seat. It is a very gritty look at the scary lives that prisoners lead, and there is no sugar coating. But seamlessly woven into the portrayal of the harsh reality of daily life in prison is a compelling romance, beautifully portrayed by the actors, that brings a subtle Romeo and Juliet quality to the story and softens the movie's hard edges. The director, who did a Q&A afterwards, explained that this movie was filmed in the actual jails, with 80% of the actors actually being the inmates and guards in the jail. This explains why this movie feels so much more real and authentic than most films; meanwhile the highly skilled professional actors who play the main characters draw the audience in very effectively. The rebellion scene at the end is remarkable in that it was actually filmed over four hours when the director literally told the inmates to fight with each other. Overall, the movie succeeds remarkably well at telling a deeply moving story that humanizes prisoners and connects us to people who on the surface seem so different from anyone we have known. The director chose an ending that is not what one would expect, with final scenes that work surprisingly well, including the very last scene, which intentionally leaves much to the imagination. This director is incredibly talented and is willing to go much further into the real world to make his artistic vision connect with reality. I cannot recommend this enough to anyone who values authenticity and the power of film to humanize.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/03/23

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José María Cabral

Director

Jean Jean

Julián Sosa

Ramón Emilio Candelario

Manaury

Judth Rodríguez Pérez

Yanelly

Jose Cruz

Actor

Manuel Raposo

Fausto

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Woodpeckers: Trailer 1

2:28

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Synopsis

Incarcerated in the Dominican Republic, an inmate uses sign language to communicate with his imprisoned girlfriend at an adjacent institution.

Director: José María Cabral
Producer: José María Cabral
Screenwriter: José María Cabral
Distributor: Outsider Pictures, Strand Releasing
Production Co: Film Factory
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Spanish
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 15, 2017, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 9, 2018
Runtime: 1h 46m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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