Personal & Political: The Film of Natalia Almada (DVD)
US Import
In this 5-disc set, Mexican-American director Natalia Almada creates intense, genre-bending films that blur boundaries and the line between personal and the social. Drawing heavily on her Mexican background, Almada brings together disparate elements — archival audio recordings, home movie footage, literature, and closely observed moments — to create a distinctive and powerful body of work.
The 5-disc set includes:
USERS (2021): A fascinating exploration of the unintended and often dehumanizing consequences of the belief technological progress will benefit humanity. “Mind-blowing” — Rolling Stone
TODO LO DEMÁS (EVERYTHING ELSE) (2016): Almada’s first feature drama, following a solitary lifelong bureaucrat and her inner world. “Makes a strong impression.” — IndieWire
EL VELADOR (2011): A documentary from the perspective of staff watching over a cemetery where many of Mexico’s most notorious drug lords lie. “Exquisite” — Variety
EL GENERAL (2009): The story of Almada’s great-grandfather — a revolutionary general and one-time President of Mexico with a complicated legacy. “Brilliant” — The Austin Chronicle
AL OTRO LADO (TO THE OTHER SIDE) (2005): A Mexican musician faces a stark choice between drug trafficking and escaping to the US. “Lyrical” — Variety.
ALL WATER HAS A PERFECT MEMORY (2005): A family tragedy leads to an exploration of remembrance. “Stunningly beautiful” — Visual Anthropology Review
Bonus short film:
ALL WATER HAS A PERFECT MEMORY “A masterfully crafted documentary of sheer power and beauty...captures the essence of pain, loss, remembrance, and cultural differences.” — Tribeca Film Festival
EXCLUSIVE VIDEO EXTRAS:
- Project 360 on El General (17 minutes)
- The Making of Todo Lo Demás (15 minutes)
- An Interview with Natalia Almada (3 minutes)
- In Spanish & English with English Subtitles