Past and present collide in "El General" as award-winning filmmaker Natalia Almada ("Al Otro Lado," POV 2006) brings to life audio recordings she inherited from her grandmother, daughter of Plutarco Elias Calles, a revolutionary general who became Mexico's president in 1924.
Mexico: Past And Present
Filmmaker Natalia Almada speaks with three of Mexico's leading intellectuals about the landscape of Mexican history and how it has shaped the present.
In his time, Calles was called El Jefe Maximo (Foremost Chief). Today he is remembered as El Quema-Curas (Priest Burner) and a dictator who ruled through puppet presidents until his exile in 1936. Airing during the centennial of the Mexican Revolution, "El General" moves between a daughter's memories as she grapples with history's portrayal of her father and the weight of his legacy on Mexico today.
Winner of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival U.S. Directing Award: Documentary. A co-production of ITVS in association with Latino Public Broadcasting.
"El General" will be streaming online from July 21 through September 14, 2010.
