Aimed at an international audience—and indeed, it was the first Mexican film to be nominated for a best foreign film Academy Award, as well as Mexico’s entry in the 1960 Cannes Film Festival—Macario takes the form of a macabre fable about an impoverished peasant (Ignacio López Tarso) who is kind to a mysterious stranger on Día de los Muertos, and is rewarded with the power to heal the sick. Drawing on a novella by B. Traven (The Treasure of the Sierra Madre), Gavaldón and his cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa create a rich pageant of folkloric imagery.

Prior to the screening, enjoy a music playlist of boleros and rancheras ranging from the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema to contemporary sounds, curated by Maurice de la Falaise.

This screening is part of the first of three film series that celebrate Mexican cinema and is presented with the generous support of Televisa Foundation-Univision.

Series community partnership provided by El Cine, Tomorrow’s Filmmakers Today by Hola Mexico, and the Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles.

Remarks will be offered by Gilbert Trejo and Danny Trejo; and community partners as Consul General Marcela Celorio from the Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles; Diana Luna, Director of Tomorrow's Filmmakers, Today from Hola Mexico; Samuel Douek, Executive Director of Hola Mexico; and Mariana​ Da Silva, Executive Director of El Cine.  

Director: Roberto Gavaldón. Cast: Ignacio López Tarso, Pina Pellicer. 1960. 90 min. Mexico. B&W. Spanish. 35mm. New print made by Filmoteca de la UNAM for the Academy Film Archive. Screening courtesy of Fundación Televisa.

All film screenings of Roberto Gavaldón are available here.