A portrait of a nation through its land and peoples.

SYNOPSIS

Gods of Mexico is a creative documentary that delves into ways of resistance to modernization in rural Mexico. It is a tribute to those peoples who strive to preserve their cultural identity.  An initiatory voyage through faces, age-old gestures, and traditions of hundreds of individuals who remind us that it is still possible to live in tune with our essence as human beings. We will explore this “Lost Atlantis” where countless possibilities of existence continue to resist in the shadow of that kind of progress which- striding at a fast pace- clouds the memory and bewilders any critical consideration on values still worth to follow.

THE DIRECTOR

Helmut Dosantos is a screenwriter, director and producer.  His first mid-length film "Dissent" has been exhibited at more than 30 festivals around the world, and has received numerous awards. Dosantos is the founder of the production companies Narvalus Films and Fulgura Frango, based respectively in the US and Mexico.  Recently, he co-produced the documentary "Tony Driver" (Film Critics’ Week, Venice 2019) with Dugong Films (“The Samouni Road”, Best Documentary, Cannes 2018). He is also co-producer of the next scripted feature “Noche de Fuego" by award-winning director Tatiana Huezo (“Tempestad", 2017), produced by Nicolás Celis ("Roma" by Alfonso Cuarón). Dosantos is currently directing and producing the feature documentary “Gods of Mexico.”

_____

Project received the Film Fund EFICINE Producción.  Selected in the workshop of LisbonDocs 2015; and in the Work in Progress section of Los Cabos International Film Festival 2019, where it received the Work in Progress Award of the Gabriel Figueroa Film Fund.

@godsofmexico

Project supported by Italian Mibact and Apulia Film Commission Regional-Fund. Selected at Venice Production Bridge, Milano Film Network, Hot Docs Deal Maker, When East Meet West, EuroMediterranean Coproduction Forum.

SYNOPSIS

One day, Pasquale decides to change his name and to be called Tony. Because despite being born in Bari in the mid 60s, he crosses the ocean with his family at 9 years of age and grows up as a real American. He becomes a taxi driver in Yuma, but he is arrested due to his “side job”: carrying illegal immigrants to the US through the Mexican border. He is therefore forced to choose: jail in Arizona or deportation to Italy. Once back in the region of Puglia, he finds himself living alone in a cave in Polignano a Mare, looking at Italy as a small, stuck country, with no opportunities and without dreams. But Tony is not willing to surrender…

THE DIRECTOR

Ascanio Petrini (1979) was born in Bari. A DAMS graduate, he directed a few short films, among which Piscio, presented at Cortodorico and among the finalists of Nie Wiem. His first documentary Salva la cozza was selected at Sguardi Altrove Film Festival in Milan, and RIFF in Rome. He has been working as a first assistant director on several Italian and international films. Tony Driver is his debut feature.

CREDITS

Director
Ascanio Petrini

Producers
Giulia Achilli, Marco Alessi

Co-Producers
Helmut Dosantos, Lucia Ferrante, Ascanio Petrini

Photography
Mario Bucci

Music
Francesco Cerasi

Editor
Benedetta Marchiori

Sound
Filippo Restelli, Vincenzo Santo

WORLD SALES:      CAT&Docs,  Paris, France,  +33 1 4461 7748,  info@catndocs.com