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Freire (Film)

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Freire
Freire musical draft 2.png
Official theatrical release poster
Directed byNatalia Ramirez
Written byJuan Manuel Ocampo
Based onFreire: Cesylle’s First Revolutionary
by Juan Manuel Ocampo
Produced byJuan Manuel Ocampo
Natalia Ramirez
StarringFranco Piñón
Teresa Martí
Juan Manuel Ocampo
Tomás Seco
CinematographyCaitlin Capmos
Edited byValeria Secada
Music byJuan Manuel Ocampo
Production
company
Distributed bySentido Motion Pictures
Release date
November 7, 2021
Running time
159 minutes
CountriesNastanovo
Elaklania
LanguageIsabellan
Budget€17.76 million

Freire is a 2021 Nastnovian and Elaklanian sung-and-rapped-through musical film, adapted from the 2014 musical of the same name, using a live recording from a largely attended performance of the musical in the Elaklanian Capital of Puerto Bontia in 2016. Natalia Ramirez directed the film, and co-produced it alongside Juan Manuel Ocampo, who also wrote and composed the film, while also portraying the eponymous lead character.

The film follows the same plot as the musical in the life of Bernardo Freire during the Century of Revolutions. The film's beginning describes Freire's family's immigration from the Cosavian colonial-island holdings to Nastanovo and finding work as a child and as a teenager under the Viceroyalty in the capital city of Santo Dominco. Then leading into the major events of the musical which include the War of Ferdinandian Independence, his selection to becoming General of the Citizen's Army of Ferdinandia, the events following the separation of Elaklania, his coronation as Sovereign of Nastanovo, the Coalition Wars of 1790 and his personal life. The film ends with the assassination of Freire and a final scene with the ascension of his son to become Sovereign of Nastanovo and a recounting of his legacy as Cesylle’s First Revolutionary

The film adaption was released on the November 7, 2021, premiering in a number of theatres, while being released on streaming services two weeks later on November 30. Critics praised the film for its use of unique camera positioning to convey new emotion towards lines within the musical numbers throughout the film.

Plot

Freire focuses on the life and times of Bernardo Freire thereby organising his life into two acts; the first of the acts focusing on his life leading up to his participation in the War of Ferdinandian Independence, and the second act focusing on his reign as Sovereign of Nastanovo and ending with his assassination. Other important characters which poised significance to Freire or the period of the Century of Revolutions are included, such as his wife Fátima Velázquez, his close friend and Vice President of Ferdiandia, Carlos Romero and the would be Emperor of Elaklania Manuel Andre Osceola.

Act I

The film opens with Josué Freire, performing as narrator, describing the immigration of the Freire family to the Viceroyalty of Nastanovo from colonial Cosavia following a merchant led riot in the colonial-capital and showcasing the sheer stature of wealth that the Freire family brought into colonial Nastanovo which allowed them to be established as a Aristocratic family within the Viceroyalty ("Cesyllian Tides"). Then cutting to a young Bernardo working as a carriage-counter on his family's plantation and witnessing the Isabellan promoted exploitation of native slaves and the poorer Nastnovians in the cultivation of tabacco upon the family's plantation in the outskirts of Santo Dominco, fermenting the initial questionings of colonial authority in the young Bernardo ("Her Tyranny"). Reaching the age of 15 Bernardo's mother takes it upon herself to sign Bernardo to private tutoring under a family friend, much to his father's discontent. At 16 Bernardo finds himself sailing to Isabella and meeting Daniella Barrios who introduces the young Freire to Maris in a tour of Isabella and Lancia, developing a further questionings of the Viceroyalties system in colonial Cesylle as Barrios introduces him to the man who discovered Cesylle, Emil Jacob Fernández, and ideals of republicanism, abolitionist thought, and inalienable rights In his final months of tutoring, Bernardo makes a swear upon himself that he will liberate his homeland, by force of arms if he must've ("Something's Gotta Give"). Upon bidding his goodbyes to Barrios and Maris, Freire returns home to Nastanovo in 1768 at the age of 18. Freire pauses in the downtown district of Santo Dominco to recount of his life thus far, passing through the streets feeling that so far he's been on the right path but missing an incredibly missing piece to his philosophical puzzle but then he overhears a group of revolutionaries, of whom include Carlos Romero, discussing their plans to raid an Imperial cache of weapons ("No King but God"). Which he then interjects into by buying them all a drink to invite himself into the conversation, though at first suspicious the small group allow him to enter into the conversation which Freire then begins to dominate as he explains what he had recently learned from his tutoring, his ideals of a Cesyllian republic and a government of the new generation overtaking the conversation and sparking a following of revolutionaries to Freire's conversation, during the commotion that Freire caused, he proudly proclaims that he has found the missing puzzle piece, a movement. ("No man's stood to her!"). Unfortunately Freire's father heard of his son's exploits in the inner city which then forced him to close Bernardo into the family estate, which Bernardo escapes from and bribes and rides his way to San Sebastián and reconnect with his friend Carlos Romero who then brings Freire to the First Ferdinándian National Congress as his plus one to the Congress in 1769 where the 19 year old Freire then begins to find himself surrounded by likeminded individuals who allow him to grow his ideals of republicanism and discuss a future without the oversight of the Viceroy and Isabellan's increasingly enlarging colonial military. For months Freire debated with the other members of the congress on the necessity of a revolution and though some have reservations, he convinces a majority to vote in favor for the delivering of an ultimatum to Isabella, demanding the creation of a colonial congress to allow themselves to determine policy and the freeing of all slaves across the Viceroyalties of Cesylle, upon the Isabellan King refuting the demand, the Congress voted in favor of independence ("Libertad o Muerte"). Within weeks the Isabellan garrisons are mobilized and professional battalions are arriving from island holdings of Isabella, forcing street combat as revolutionaries take up arms in the streets of major cities across the Viceroyalties of Elaklania and Nastanovo. Freire takes command as the only person willing to do so and is forced to engage with General Christopher Botín, the General Isabella dispatched to put down the Revolution, the age disparity showing its clearness as the 20 year old Freire, inexperienced and new to combat, against the 62 year old general, well fashioned and firm in combat. Freire suffers defeat after defeat in the downtown city and is forced to abandoned the city though with minimal casualties and a concern for maintaining cohesion and quality of the battalions under his command. Those in his command though proclaim him the victor regardless as he was able to stand to the most experienced Isabellan General and continue to live to tell the tale ("and so, revolution"). Following the Battle of San Sebastián and reorganizing in the inner regions of southern Elaklania and Northern Nastanovo, Freire organizes the first regiments of the Ferdinándian Citizen's Army and recieves word from other disperate organs of revolutionaries proclaiming their support for his sector of the revolution, he sends riders out with the message that he is assuming command of the Revolution as El General of the Citizen's Army. in 1770 at age 20 Bernardo becomes the young face of the revolution against the Isabellan colonial response and battlelines begin to form across the Viceroyalties of Elaklania and Nastanovo from Revolutionaries attempting to link up with Freire from across colonies ("El General").

Deeper inland and in the Viceroyalty of Elaklania as the leader of the Army of Puerto Bontia, Manuel Andre Osceola, is chased from the city he was meant to defend from the Isabellan garrison, defeated and without allies in Elaklania as the aristocrats threw their weight behind the Isabellan Viceroy. In his declaration of support for the republican cause, he laments over the lose of Puerto Bonita and swears that he will see Elaklania brought "into the loving embrace of liberty" ("So may it be"). Though both Freire and Osceola learn through the harsh realities of war that their cause is not an easy one, facing defeat after defeat in the north and in Elaklania as revolutionary forces attempt to coordinate under Freire's command and through it all he attempts to maintain the minimal casualties and viability of his soldiers as Osceola garnered support among the Elaklanian peasantry in their forceful freeing and conscription into the Citizen's Army ("Outgunned and Outplanned"). In a follow-up battle outside of San Sebastián as Freire attempts to dislodge Botín from the city, the heats of the summer beats down both sides as many die to heatstroke and the Army is forced to flee further south into Nastanovo. ("Summer of '72"). During the battle some officers among the Citizen's Army question the 22 year old Freire's ability and in an attempt to firmly organize the Citizen's Army, Freire overrides all forms of autonomous command and forces every officer in the regiments to adhere to his operational initiative during the Battle of Santo Dominco, slowly and meticulously moving through the city until they were able to take the garrison by surprise and liberate the city and as a result fully designate a capital for the Ferdinándian National Congress to convene in during the revolution, though during the battle Freire is injured in an artillery accident and is forced to take refuge in the city ("Bark your orders!"). During his extended leave from the military and the officers once more taking leadership positions in the army, the revolutionaries exploit the weakness in the battlelines of the Isabellan-Ferdinándian war as more colonial outposts are liberated from Isabella and swear loyalty to the revolutionaries, all the while Freire meets once more with his father, held in captivity since the liberation of Santo Dominco. As a final regard Freire's father asks him to marry a upper class woman who was in high contact with Isabellan society and more importantly, spies. Honoring his father's wish, Freire marries Fátima Velázquez who reveals her sympathies for the revolutionaries and tells Freire she will happily lie to the Isabellans about would be revolutionary strategy, the pair then agree to confer with one another before Freire gives the command to begin an operation ("Reverence"). While Freire continues to rest, Osceola returns to Elalklania with newfound revolutionary zeal as he continues to garner support among the peasantry for the revolution beginning to win battles and arriving in Puerto Bonita once more for a second attempt at liberating the city which he succeeds in ("Northern Expedition"). Following his extended absence Freire returned to command he oversees the progress of the revolutionaries across the continent and one thing becomes abundantly clear to him, though death is a necessity he aims to be as efficient and minimal casualty ridden in his method of war as he and Osceola share a duet on the horrors that they witness during combat, both agreeing in their sentiments that war, though necessary is something which should be controlled ("The Seven Rules of War"). Following his campaign to liberate Elaklania and reforming his regiments to include the large influx of peasantry within his ranks, Osceola returns to Nastanovo to aid Freire and the other revolutionaries in the next battles of the war as they begin to close the knot around San Sebastián and close in on the final pockets of Isabellan forces on the continent ("Osceola on the Horizon"). Before the battle, Osceola and Freire meet to discuss the next steps for the battle as they begin to clash over their visions of the battle, while Osceola sees the next step as flooding the streets with men to overtake the garrison, Freire prefers his usual methodical method of moving through sectors of a region until they can methodically close out the garrison. Though both cannot come to an agreement, officers of the Citizen's Army declare their favor to Freire's plan and they begin the battle by engaging with Isabellan forces through small sectors of carefully selected regiments moving through and exploiting the old fashioned placements of the Isabellan Imperial Army. Following a thorough defeat of General Christopher Botín by Freire, both sides agree to a ceasefire and negotiations, for the first time Freire and Botín meet following the battle and seeing to the burial of the dead, Botín comments that Freire that he doesn't believe Freire is a republican, which Freire refutes. Following a week of negotiations in mid 1773, Freire agrees to compensate for lost trade volumes and open up the would be Republic to Marisian trade, thus ending the War of Ferdinandian Independence and kickstarting the Century of Revolutions ("¡Adiós Isabel!").

Following the liberation of San Sebastián and the relocation of the National Congress to the city, the Third Ferdinándian National Congress began with the proclaimation of the Republic, now reborn as the Grand Republic of Ferdinándia, and celebrations of their victory over the Imperial powers of Isabella, and announcements of elections to be held in positions of government and the executive branch responsible for the creation of a constitution, which Osceola and Freire both announce their candidacy for President of the Republic beginning a bitter rivalry between the two as they jostle for the position during the election, as the congress was dominated of individuals who had known Freire and the good word of his friend Carlos Romero, who was running with Freire as the Vice Presidential candidate, or were Nastnovian nationals who elected to hold a vote within days and majority elected Freire as the First President of the Grand Republic of Ferdinándia leaving a taste of defeat which Osceola would never forget ("El Presidente"). With a President elected and an executive branch entrusted to begin drafting a constitution, a new debate began as the congress questioned the very nature of their leadership, Osceola once more did not give up and proclaimed his ambition to see the Republic seen over by a monarch as it was what had worked for other major republics in history and he stated the necessity of a constitutional monarchy to remain in good graces with Marisian powers, Freire once more found himself at the head of the Republican faction as he announced his ambition to see the Republic ruled by a Congress elected by the citizenry and a President with the power to maintain the Republic ("Third Time's The Congress (TTTC)"). Following the debate and Freire's republican faction once more dominating the political scene in San Sebastián, Freire's republicans were able to overwhelming outvote the bid for a constitutional monarchy and proclaim the consitution to be following an explicitly republican nature. As a result of his percieved treachery against the republican values of Ferdinándia, Freire in a fit of anger demanded the arrest and exile of Osceola which Osceola narrowly avoids and begins using his clout in Elaklania to denounce the results of the Third Congress and begin arming his countrymen to revolt against the Republic ("Bring him in!"). With no negotiation between the two, Osceola declares himself Emperor of the Empire of Elaklania and declares independence from the Grand Republic in late 1773, beginning the Sister's War between the states of Elaklania and Nastanovo. Freire laments at the loss of Elaklania though once more reaffirms to himself that he will see the Republic to the end and sends the word to the Citizen's Army to mobilize once more to put down the madman Osceola's petty rebellion, though he does not know that he's overconfidently marching into unknown and hostile lands ("The Sister's War").

With the ending of "The Sister's War" the show then takes a moment to allow for an intermission which was 15 minutes long during the 2016 Puerto Bonita performance.

Act II

Following the ending of the intermission, which in the film is a scene of introductory dialogue between Fátima Velázquez and Freire's doctor Rolando Berganza that leads into the rest of the scene Berganza asking for the medical history of Freire which Fátima begins describing as a case of intense and stressful situations ever since his injury in the Battle of Santo Dominco ("Can someone catch me up?"). Following this dialogue Freire returns to the mainstay as he is in a deep debate between himself and Dr. Abraham López with regard to what to do with Elaklania during and following the Sister's War, where though Freire believes that they can still reform the Grand Republic to encompass Elaklania, López believes that they have to establish a republic in Elaklania and leave it at that, seeing as following the war he knows his countrymen would chafe at being ruled by a Nastnovian President. Freire laments at the loss of Elaklania as he begins to lose hope in the dream of a grander revolutionary cesyllian republic ("She Burns"). Within months Freire's officers lose battle after battle due to their overconfidence in the superiorly trained Citizen's Army, eventually forcing the Government to evacuate from San Sebastián back to Santo Dominco. Freire elects to settle the rebellion himself and engages Osceola in the Battle of Mt. Elba believing that if he could decisively beat Osceola from the mountain ranges he could force him to go on the run. Freire loses the battle and, in a moment of humiliation with all witnessing his announcement, is forced to recognize Elaklanian independence and Osceola's claim to the Emperorship of Elaklania ("Tricolor Torn Asunder"). Following his announcement and public humiliation, Freire goes on a tirade against the lacking "back-bone" his officers and officials exhibited during the civil war and begins to destroy his temporary office in Santo Dominco in a fit of rage. Following a small monologue he writes and signs a declaration stating that any perceived treason against the Republic would be reported to the Citizen's Army under his authority as prosiding President, though Vice-President Romero attempts to stop him, eventually he relents and allows the decree to pass ("Something's Gotta Give (Reprise)"). Freire's decree allows his First Revolutionary Army and other regiments of the Citizen's Army to begin rounding up suspected traitors and those who escape the extrajudicial killings center around another Nastnovian General, Joaquin Siva, who allies with the natives in the southeastern regions of Nastanovo and declares himself Joaquin I of the Kingdom of Percivia, Freire uses the fear of another rebellion in the central government to pass more decrees giving the President near dictatorial powers and control of internal security as Commander in Chief of the Citizen's Army. While Joaquin expects Freire to immediately respond with invasion, he is surprised when there is no response from the central government aside from a message in the rumors between states that the government was once more moving, this time to Esperanza. Though Freire hasn't forgotten his dream of a united Republic and swears to bring the breakaway states back into the fold ("The Republic Slumbers").

Days pass and Freire's mental conditions begins to worsen as he now physically is seen beginning to hunch over, Fátima requests that Freire see his doctor and Berganza begins asking questions which lead to Freire suspecting him as a spy. During the conversation the pair share, Berganza begins to question if the Republic can truly stomach another breakaway state should another Nastnovian General believe that they could get away with it like "that traitor Joaquin." Freire threatens to have Berganza executed for even insinuating the idea that the republic couldn't take another rebellion, but Freire sees the logic in Berganza's argument and confides in Fátima that he might not be doing enough to save the Republic. She tells him to be true to himself and what he thinks they should do next, and asks Freire if he thinks that he truly has it in him to keep being President. Freire admits that he may have overstepped his boundaries by taking on such a demanding position at such a young age, but reaffirms that he has yet to lose the spark which made him President, claiming that something needed to change and that was the structure of the government which he ran, therefore he writes another decree, stating that the executive would be releasing the constitution of Ferdinandia within weeks. During a session of congress he interrupts the presiding session of Romero and declares, with his First Revolutionary Army behind him, that the Republic needed a stronger guiding figure than that of a president. As such he was declaring himself to be the Sovereign of Nastanovo, until the breakaway states of Percivia and Elaklania returned to the fold and all traitors snuffed out from both government and the citizenry. Congress relents and Freire is declared Sovereign in the Palace de Morales which congress had been meeting in since their relocation to Esperanza ("A King and God"). Though during the session, men like Romero and López attempt to talk Freire out of the idea to declare himself the would be position of a King and in a fit of rage Freire pulls his sword on his friend and threatens to have them both killed, both declare that they would rather die men of liberty than servants of a King, Freire has both of them killed in the Palace and removed ("A Sovereign's Voice"). Brandishing his sword to the other congressmen he asks if any others will act against him, he is met with several weak cries of "Long live the Sovereign!" where he then demands to not be treated like a King and has those Congressmen executed as well. Following one more round of questioning if any of the men present would treat him like a King or betray the Sovereignty in his quest to restore the republic, satisfied at the answer that none present were traitors, he declared that soon they would be acting as a lower council to the executive branch of the legislative government he planned to implement, announcing the creation of the Spokespersons' Assembly and the Mystic Senate above them. As a whole implementing his draft of a constitution, declaring the dormancy of the Grand Republic of Ferdinándia organizing the legislative branch into the Serene Congress of the newly reformed Sovereignty of Nastanovo ("Serene is Congress"). Following his proclamation of the Sovereignty, Freire once more laments over the loss of life and the choices he made, questioning that if he perhaps acted quicker he could have put down Osceola's rebellion before it grew too large to handle. In his mind a figment of Osceola taunts him as a child and inable to rule now that he was facing the realities of government, Freire argues with his imagination of Osceola and swears that he'll restore Ferdinandia and the republic, even if it took him "till he was an old man and restricted to the chair" ("The Vital Struggle"). Within the following weeks and reformation of government, Freire then focuses on restructuring the Citizen's Army into a new force. He reviews and reorganizes his forces from the "ragtag" to professional and well structured in regiments adhering to the central command structure of his "Nastnovian Sovereign Army" and recruits young Generals who though lacking experience in the revolutionary war as petty officers, now had their chance to prove themselves. With men like Román Diego Molina becoming central to the youthful ideal that Freire held for his military. In one final review before beginning to go on the war path against the breakaway states, he reviews the nearly 50,000 strong NSA and is satisfied that the Sovereignty will ("Make Them Pay").

With his forces organized, his political rivals silenced and absolute power centralized around him, Freire announces a campaign to restore the Republic one war at a time and invades the breakaway Kingdom of Percivia. Joaquin I having expected this invasion for decades had organized a militia force which he felt would maintain the border regions against the overconfident Nastnovians, however when Freire's declaration of war included a clause of absorption into the Sovereignty, Joaquin made alliances with other states to their south that if the need arose they would band together into a coalition against the Sovereignty which he recieves confirmations of now confident in maintaining his Kingdom against invasion ("Boil over, Eastern Burner"). The first battles between the Percivian and Nastnovian militaries begin as the Percivian militias are outmatched in classical combat against their Nastnovian counterparts which leads to celebrations among the Nastans for a hopeful quick conclusion to the way, however they are interupted when the Percivian militias inflitrate the camp and release snakes into the Nastnovian camps thus leading Freire to refer to the lands of Percivia as a cesspit of snakes and traitors ("Of Snakes and like Vultures!"). Giving persuit to the Percivian militias, Freire grows confident that his reorganization of the military with his best units leading them in the charge as a Vanguard would win the war, however upon being forced to pass through thick jungle and forestry to pass closer to the Percivian capital in the east, the Nastnovians are caught in an ambush by Joaquin's hastily organized militias and aid called upon by the coalition of nations against the Sovereignty. Freire is forced to abandon his vanguard units to buy time for the rest of his army to escape and himself losing thousands in the forestry and combat, its his greatest loss in his career and he feels that he may have bitten off more than he would be capable of dealing with in combat ("By the neck"). Having been forced to retreat to Esperanza to regroup and reorganize, Freire then takes what he can muster in Esperanza and begins another march towards the Percivian capital of Quecarajo and leaves General Molina to handle the defense of Esperanza, fearing a counterattack by the Coalition. While Freire begins his march across the continent, Molina catches sight of a force nearly triple his' marching upon Esperanza to the south and is forced to engage for fear of losing the capital, being led by Joaquin I, Molina truly believes that he can win the battle if he just holds position and requests for Freire to return. During the battle Molina conscripts women and farmers into the 2nd Army as equal fighters and delays the coalition's forces long enough for Freire to return and then smashing into the weakened center of the Coalitionary lines and winning the battle sending the coalition's forces to reorganize in lands south and back into Percivia ("By Blood and Iron"). Now with the coalition on the defensive Freire and Molina begin to march on the capital of Quecarajo with the intent of capturing it, but are intercepted on the way by another section of the coalition's combined forces, they are able to beat the force and capture a general who Freire attempts to have executed though is stopped by Molina who wishes to use the intelligence above the message ("A Lion"). Finally the armies of the Sovereignty put Quecarajo under siege and within weeks the city falls and with it Joaquin I is captured and declares he will never surrender and that he has already advocated, Freire negotiates with the son of Joaquin I and they come to an agreement which brings Percivia into the Sovereignty as a fully integrated state, forcing Joaquin I into exile as he escapes screaming ("Quecarajo"). In Esperanza the celebration over Percivia is in full swing as Freire declares that Nastanovo had triumphed over its enemey in the coalition and would once more move back to their capital in the East, though in the city of Nostalta as he had rechristened Quecarajo. In the city of High Nost the Nastan people would raise their swords to the sky as Freire declares Nastanovo to be ("The Sabre of Cesylle").

Finally following the end of the Coalition Wars and the years spent fighting between Nastanovo and Percivia, Freire can once more see himself being a President and feels that he can restore the Republic once he brings Elaklania back into the fold, for a moment he is able to stand up straight once more following his constant hunching throughout the show ("Libertad o Muerte (Reprise))". Meanwhile Joaquin I arrives in the city of Pureto Bonita and begins scheming with the Emperor of Elaklania, Osceola, to assassinate Freire and they elect to use his doctor as a means to kill him ("Bring Him Down"). Following the weeks and months after the war, Freire attends an opera in an advised means to relax by his doctor following his reforming of the state of Percivia following the war, unfortunately Berganza had been paid to find a place for Freire to remain as Osceola (standing in for assassins) places an explosive device behind Freire's seat and upon hearing the trigger of the explosion, Freire stands up straight for the first time and speaks his final words and dies in the explosion ("A Sovereign's Voice (Reprise)"). In the weeks following the assassination Jorge Freire, the son of Bernardo, is crowned the Sovereign of Nastanovo in an elaborate ceremony and orders a crown to be forged as he claims that the republican dream that his father fought for had long since died, but he would never stop fighting for what his father truly believed in and that was a truly free, strong, and dominating Nastanovo ("A Sovereign's Duty"). The show concludes with an elderly Fátima Velázquez describing the Sovereingty that her son is building now that Bernardo is gone, leaving his revolutionary legacy of a free Cesylle behind as Jorge aims to strengthen Nastanovo for the next moment in the "Vital Struggle" that Bernardo spoke so much of. She then sees herself to rest as the ensemble carry her away and Jorge takes up his father's sword in a transition from Bernardo to him as the owner of the Sabre of Ceyselle ("A Sovereign's Farewell").

Cast

Production

Musical numbers

Release

Reception

Historical accuracy