Saturday, November 20, 2010

Revolucion Worldwide Premiere


Thanks to Mubi who's in partnership with Celluloid Dreams this weekend, meaning ONLY Saturday November 20th and Sunday November 21st, we are able to watch the Premiere of the Cannes-selected Revolución made in honor of the Mexican Revolution 100 Anniversary and the following is a synopsis (from MUBI) of the short films that take a look back at that turbulent time in Mexican History.

The Mexican revolution began one hundred years ago with the overthrow of the country’s dictatorial President Porfirio Díaz. Revolución is a portmanteau film in which ten directors look back in ten short films at the violent upheaval that was to bring dramatic changes to the country. In his film, 30/30, Rodrigo Plá observes commemorative events and local politicians’ speeches. In EL CURA NICOLÁS COLGADO by Amat Escalanate, a boy and a girl come across a priest hanging in a tree. In ESTE ES MI REINO, Carlos Reygadas describes a group of proud Mexicans who invite their foreign friends to join them for a celebration in the country. In LA TIENDA DE RAYA Mariana Chenillo reminds us that, even today, workers are sometimes paid in coupons, which, just as in pre-revolutionary Mexico, they can only redeem in shops owned by their employers. Patricia Riggen’s film, LINDO Y QUERIDO, revolves around an American’s dying wish to be buried in the land he was once forced to leave. The titular protagonist LUCIO in Gael García Bernal’s film is enlightened by his cousin, Omar, as to the sometimes contradictory meanings of certain national symbols. Daniel has an unpleasant altercation with his wife in Diego Luna’s PACÍFICO. He winds up at the beach where he begins to realise that he can only fulfill his dreams by being at home with his family. In R-100 by Gerardo Narango, two workers try to run away from their past; Rodrigo García has the ghosts of deceased revolutionaries pay a visit to Los Angeles in LA 7TH Y ALVARADO, and, in LA BIENVENIDA, Fernando Eimbcke portrays a village that awaits the arrival of a special guest.

I'm embedding the video so we can watch the compilation together and it's not necessary but I stress that one of the shorts is by Carlos Reygadas, who is my favorite contemporary Mexican director and consequently absolutely MUST BE SEEN. But also there are shorts by interesting directors like Fernando Eimbcke, Amat Escalante, Rodrigo Pla, and Gerardo Naranjo; looking forward to watch the films by other Mexican directors I'm not familiar with their work.



ENJOY!!!

Note:  I watched the film in my TV and if you have the computer connected to the TV with an HDMI cable I strongly suggest that you watch the film at MUBI that has the best quality; the film is here.

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