El grito de las mariposas

In the Dominican Republic of 1949, Minerva Mirabal turns down the advances of President Rafael Leónidas Trujillo, leading to an act of retaliation against Minerva's father, Don Enrique, who is locked up and tortured.

Minerva bargains for the release of her father while the rest of the family returns to Salcedo. Arantxa crosses paths with Trujillo at the Spanish embassy, and approaches the dictator with the hope of convincining him to release Don Enrique.

As Don Enrique recovers from a stroke, the family store faces backlash from the community. Minerva responds to a proposal from Simón that would potentially take her away from the Dominican Republic and her father.

Minerva seizes on an opportunity to enroll in law school as an ailing Don Enrique encourages her on. Minerva arrives at Club Caribe in search of Arantxa, who invites her to stay in lodgings provided by Petán, but the old friends are growing apart.

Minerva receives a top score on her entrance exam, all but assuring that the board of admissions will be forced to admit her. After her first night as the lead dancer, Arantxa reconnects with Trujillo — the dancer and dictator.

Don Enrique's refusal to donate for a statue of Trujillo brings consequences. The dictator seeks to gain more control over the country by inscribing his brother, Héctor "El Negro", as a presidential candidate.

Héctor Trujillo wins the election with 100% of the votes. Morales negotiates a hefty price to secure the release of Don Enrique. Minerva and Pierre are arrested in a protest against the regime; Pierre, for his part, is badly beaten.

The family learns the truth about the decline in Don Enrique's health; with his last words, Don Enrique encourages his daughter to fight for what's right, but she faces yet another setback in her dream to become a lawyer.

Arantxa experiences burnout from the rigorous demands of "The Gipsy Show" and maintaining appearances with the regime; Trujillo, distrustful of his lover and propaganda medium, orders her to be surveilled.

The mood shifts in the region on the success of the Cuban revolution. Minerva and Manolo raise their two children in Monte Cristi; there, they are visited by old companions, including Pierre, who inform them of a plot to oust Trujillo.

With the media under their control, the regime boasts of its defeat of the revolutionaries. In Monte Cristi, Minerva and Manolo visit a severely-injured Pierre at a rebel hideout. Arantxa goes off script on television.

The Mirabal sisters are released, as the regime faces pressure from the OAS; although the women are freed, their husbands are held captive in Puerto Plata. The decision to visit the men — against their mother's wishes.

Arantxa dances in honor of the "Butterflies" on television as outrage to the violence sparks calls for change. The surveillance of Arantxa leads Jimmy Alves to target Asier. The commando brings an end to the ruthless dictator's 30-year reign.