Batey Mosquito (2008)

"Batey Mosquito," a human portrait, documents the daily life of a small village inhabited by the workers of a sugar plantation in the Dominican Republic. Toiling under the shadow of an unjust and convoluted system, these people struggle to find hope in the face of hunger and poverty. Parents strain to feed their children who grow into adulthood with little chance of receiving a complete education and transcending the life of grueling servitude they were born into. Elder workers who are fortunate enough to receive a pension find that its amount is quite paltry and are obligated to continue laboring until their bodies will no longer give. A single family among them attempts to find optimism in the face of adversity and bring solidarity to the town by organizing a church. With no other recourse, the people of Mosquito must rely on their combined support of one another for perseverance. "Batey Mosquito" is a five-year labor of love spearheaded by accomplished Spanish photographer, Carmen Ballvé, and American filmmaker, Eduardo Miyar. The film weaves a universal tale of community and unwavering faith through bleak conditions.