American actor Danny Glover will star in the Dutch Caribbean film “Tula, The Revolt”, from Dutch director Jeroen Leinders. But the Tula project remains controversial.The story is based on a true story about the slave uprising on the island of Curacao, a Dutch colony in 1795. Tula led a rebellion of slaves, protesting against poor living and working conditions in the plantations. After a few weeks Tula was arrested and executed by the Dutch rulers.
Obi Abili (a UK actor of Nigerian decent) will star in the film as Tula, while Glover will play Shinishi, a role that the producers are calling a very important one. Besides Glover the cast also includes Obi Abili, Jeroen Krabbé [Only Decent people], Derek de Lint, Henriette Tol and Barry Hay [the singer of a Dutch Rock band].
The film is set to be released in 2013, the year that marks the 150th anniversary of abolishment of slavery in the former Netherlands Antilles and in Suriname in 1863. Read more on Shadow and Act
But there is some criticism on the Tula project. Jermain Ostiana, a Curacao native and media critic, writes on his blog Triunfodisablika: "You have to wait your turn until the descendants themselves have created a solid infrastructure where they can empower their communities, develop their talents via art, sport, music, theatre and film. You can't commercialize our ancestor's history bypassing the descendants rights and think you are doing us a favor."