Sangre

A brave film that takes Mexican cinema in a new way of telling stories. Without professional actors, with low budget, is a fresh and critical sight of the Mexican quotidian reality of a middle class couple, Cirilo Recio and Claudia Orozco. She works in a pizzeria and he is guardian of a public building. T.V. soap operas, mechanical sex are their every day life, interrupted by the unexpected presence of Cirilo's daughter who gives a twist to the story. Their human values are exposes through a great cinematography by Alex Fenton, with a new way of seeing the reality. The price given in Cannes in "Une certain regard", (Fipresci) and in the Thessalonica film fest by Vittoiro Storaro -as president of the jury- are testimony of the importance of the film particularly for the Mexican cinema, nevertheless it was produced 100% with European funds. Amat Escalante, who worked as assistant to Carlos Reygadas (co producer of Sangre) in Battle in heaven, is certainly one of the new leaden talents.

First of all...I WANT MY MONEY BACK!- THIS MOVIE WAS IN COMPETITION!. ''THE STORY IS ABOUT A MARRIAGE THAT HAS A BORING LIFE AND EVERYTHING CHANGES Because OF THE MAN'S DAUGHTER ARRIVING''...It called my attention...I have to admit, but... I went to see this movie(?) at the BAFICI in Buenos Aires because I (and also all the people who was in the cinema with me) thought that it would be an interesting movie as many of the movies of the festival...but IT WASN'T AT ALL!...MY GOD! WHAT A BORING AND PRETENSIOUS MOVIE!!! I've seen lots of movies where the actors weren't professional and even though they made excellent performances but in this particular case they make an awful job! During the movie they weren't able to transmit any emotion...although sometimes they cried, they said ''I love you'', they fought... but they never showed sensitivity...they were like stone-shaped people... In the end of the movie is very difficult to give it a meaning... but the only thing that we could feel is that the director wanted to do something small but deep and with a message... OK, let me tell you something: the only thing that you'll perceive during the movie is emptiness...

I did find the earlier reader review by someone from Mexico very useful as this film, while quite good, needed the context that the viewer gave it. There is no sense in repeating what was said. I was born within yards of the Mexican border, in Southwestern Arizona along the Colorado River, and this film reminded me of San Luis, R.C., where i once covered a murder trial for the Yuma Daily Sun. Fortunately, the accused man, a U.S. born guy of Mexican origin, was acquitted thanks to a lot of footwork all around. This film describes plainly the bleak existence for many people down in Mexico, and it does not polish the legend of Happy Cheerful People slapping backs with funny accents. It has no stereotypes of any kind. Also, it was good to see a Mexican film not set in Mexico City. I understand the director is only 29 years old. Do not expect any fables in this film. In that sense it is really a slice of life and also echos the architectural concept of Less is More....

Just finished watching this Mexican gem. The actual name,"Sangre"(Blood) is misleading. I would call it "The Unbearable Dullness of Being". As I see it, the moral of the story is that a dull life leads to losing any idea of honour, honesty, and after a while you don't know what's dear to you, what you're living for. And the point of selecting unprofessional actors is probably in proving that you and me and that guy might so easily lose our soul instincts if the life is filled just with 9-to-5 job routine, evening meal, TV and some copulation. So, if you're strong enough to have sat through this seemingly senseless film, then give yourself a bit of a mental job and probably you will get the point...

I was very surprised by this movie. It takes risks and shows something that I have never seen in a Mexican movie before. You can tell the director feels his country is going to the garbage and maybe is becoming just a disposable thing, like food from Mcdonalds ( that the characters seem to love to eat so much here). Sometimes it's hard for people to see themselves on screen, and they will maybe hate the movie most people. But for me it works to stimulate, and it was also very entertaining. I am very exited about these new movies with something new to say and that step away from the typical Mexican subject of violence and "hot" Latin melodrama. Like Jean-Claude Carrière said when he mentioned SANGRE in his conference at FICCO in Mexico City: "Welcome to the rebirth of Mexican cinema".