Currently in development is this slave uprising project titled Tula, The Revolt, from Dutch director Jeroen Leinders.
It’s based on a true story that centers on a slave uprising on the island of Curacao, a Dutch colony in 1795, and the man called Tula, who dared to stand up against his oppressors, and led the revolt that would last about a month.
Director Jeroen Leinders (whose background is heavy in documentary filmmaking) is said to have spent much of his youth on Curacao, and has been working there for the past five years, which is how he learned of the historical account of the slave wrote, and pursued the idea of turning it into a film; and here we are.
I wasn’t too familiar with the revolt, so did a little research to learn, the source of the rebellion was that Tula and an initial group of 40 to 50 slaves requested 3 things of their overseers: an end to collective punishment, an end to working on Sundays, and lastly, the right to buy their wears from anywhere they wanted, not just from their masters, which was the rule of the day. Apparently, they didn’t get what they asked for, and thus, Tula organized a group of fellow slaves who resolved not to work as slaves anymore. The rebellion, which actually began peacefully and was meant to be won with words, rather than arms, lasted for more than a month. But, unfortunately, it didn’t end as peacefully as it begun, because the colonial forces crushed the revolt, Tula was captured, tortured, convicted and executed.
This film will tell his story – a man who’s revered in Curacao today. The producers of the film are calling it an action-drama.
The below video was shot by the filmmakers about 2 years ago, to use as a sales promo for potential investors, to give them an idea of the style in which the film will be shot.