Movie to be shown at NFA caught up in controversy

Norwich - The fledgling Norwich Community Cinema has run into its first controversy, an international battle between the filmmakers of the purported documentary "The Price of Sugar" and an attorney representing the wealthy Dominican Republic sugar baron depicted as the abusive, exploitative plantation owner in the film.

Norwich Community Cinema and Norwich Free Academy will show the 2007 film, narrated by Paul Newman and directed by Bill Haney, at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Sidney Frank Center at NFA.

Admission is a suggested $5 donation to benefit the Diocese of Norwich Haitian Ministries.

Norwich physician Dr. Anthony Alessi, who recently returned from a medical assistance trip to Haiti, will discuss his experiences in treating earthquake victims prior to and following the film.

Sandy Quarto, president of the Norwich Community Cinema Foundation, said she had no hesitation in showing the film in light of the controversy.

"I haven't seen the film yet," Quarto said. "I was interested in seeing it, and now I'm dying to see it."

Attorney Benjamin G. Chew, representing Dominican plantation owners Philipe and Juan Vicini, contacted NFA officials Tuesday. While he did not specifically request that NFA not show the documentary, Chew informed them that his firm, Patton Boggs LLP, has filed a defamation lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Boston after repeated attempts to stop distribution and screening of the film were "ignored."

Chew said the film shows abuses and deplorable conditions and erroneously alleges that they occurred at plantations and sugar operations owned by the Vicinis. He cited a main subject in the film, the Rev. Christopher Hartley, who claimed to have discovered the atrocities, but said the film failed to include that the priest was "dismissed" from the Dominican Republic by the Catholic Church.

"We believe that ('The Price of Sugar') absolutely and outrageously accuses the Vicinis of heinous crimes, including murder, attempted murder, human trafficking (enslavement), assault and battery, bribery and obstruction of justice," Chew wrote in the letter to Slater Memorial Museum Curator Vivian Zoe.

James J. Landherr, director of research and strategic partnerships at NFA, responded to the Washington firm that NFA would show the film but would make an announcement at the start regarding the controversy.

"We will make a statement at the start of the film that the accuracy of the film is being contested and will have a few copies of the lawsuit at the back of the room," Landherr said. "We are an educational institution, and to make both viewpoints available is true to our mission."

The film screening is part of a collaboration between NFA and the Norwich Community Cinema to show foreign films on campus on the fourth Friday of each month using an education grant.

All proceeds from Friday's showing will be donated to the Diocese of Norwich Haitian Ministries.

In his letter to Johnson, Landherr noted that most documentaries show a topic from the "voice" of the filmmaker, and viewers should be aware of that.

"Michael Moore has made a fortune doing that," Landherr said.

c.bessette@theday.com