Tierra y Libertad: Dominican History in America

A film by Frank R. Vásquez

Tierra y Libertad: Dominican History in America image

About the film:

Tierra y Libertad is a powerful, visually immersive documentary tracing over 500 years of Afro-Dominican history — from the arrival of the first Africans on Hispaniola in 1502 to the emergence of Dominican-American culture in the U.S. today.

Blending expert interviews, archival footage, and poetic recreations set to ritual music like Palo, Gagá, and Salve, the film explores how Afro-descendant Dominicans have shaped the island and the diaspora through resistance, creativity, and cultural continuity.

This is not just a history lesson — it’s a reclamation of identity and a celebration of resilience. Featuring voices like Anthony Stevens-Acevedo, Martha Ellen Davis, Dr. Silvio Torres-Saillant, and Dr. Richard Turits, the film grounds itself in deep scholarship while embracing lyrical storytelling.

We are currently in production and fundraising to complete filming in the Dominican Republic and U.S., and begin post-production. Your tax-deductible donation helps cover equipment, crew, travel, editing, music licensing, and festival outreach.

With your support, we can bring this vital story out of the margins and onto the global stage.

Join us in honoring the voices and legacies that history tried to forget.