Television host David Hernandez seems to have everything – a beautiful wife, a big house, fancy car and a beautiful son. But when a caller to his show reveals that he is holding his family hostage, David is forced to watch as his darkest secrets are revealed on live television. A tense story of kidnapping, drugs and infidelity, Checkmate is more than the usual crime drama but a complicated tale of one man’s dark past and a city, glued to their televisions, watching his downfall in real time.
This directorial debut for José María Cabral is only the Dominican Republic’s fourth ever submission to the Academy Awards but comes at a time when the local industry is booming – recent changes in legislation have boosted production from an average of two features a year to ten last year. Cabral’s thriller boasts slick cinematography and a story that only gets more complicated as it progresses. Actors Adrián Mas and Sergio Carlo give breakout performances as the besieged David and his maniacal tormentor.