Tuesday, March 4, 2014:
LAS CARPETAS (THE FILES) in Cruz Bay

Las Carpetas (The Files)

Maite Rivera Carbonell, Visiting Filmmaker

March 4, 2014 / 7:30 pm

St. John School of the Arts, Cruz Bay

Las Carpetas (The Files)

Las Carpetas (The Files)

Las Carpetas (The Files)
Maite Rivera Carbonell | 2011 | 75 min. 
Color Documentary, Country: Puerto Rico & Spain, Language: Spanish with English Subtitles

Puerto Rico’s secret police, supported by the FBI, spied and persecuted those who disagreed with the government for decades. All collected information was classified in archives known as “the files”. An entire network was set up so that this “subversives”, were denied certain jobs through which they could exert some influence or authority (police, university, journalism). On the jobs they were hounded till they resigned. Many citizens had to emigrate since they could not find jobs in Puerto Rico. In some families they even followed the children.

When the existence of the files became known in 1987, the practice known as “the carpeteo” was declared unconstitutional. It wasn’t until 1992 that 15 thousand files were officially returned to the persecuted citizens, opening a Pandora’s Box of painful memories. At present, we have Pupa, Miguel, Ismael and Norma. None of them is a political leader. They are ordinary citizens, workers, and heads of household. All were persecuted for defending causes that ran counter to the interests of the government. Through their testimony the public will see the humane side of a political story that will expose the extent of this persecution on families, workers, professionals and students. Through their personal stories, the documentary exposes a collective history.

Maite Rivera Carbonell

Maite Rivera Carbonell is a renowned Puerto Rican sound editor. She is a two-times winner of the Goya Award for Best Sound for her work in the feature films The Others by Alejandro Amenábar and Tres Días by Javier Gutiérrez.  Writer and director of the short film La Nota Final, which has won international awards. She graduated from the International Film and Television School (EICTV) in Cuba, where she annually works as advisor.