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Searching for Posada: ART and Revolutions

Searching for Posada: ART and Revolutions is a documentary revealing for the first time on film the untold story of Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada. Frida Kahlo surrounded her apartment with his art to help keep her sanity while living in New York. Her husband, famed muralist Diego Rivera described his art as: “so great that perhaps one day his name will be forgotten!” José Guadalupe Posada’s art lampooned politicians, recorded vivid images of the Mexican Revolution, inspired Mexico's famed Taller Grafica Popular to use art for social causes, incredibly helped the Cuban Revolution succeed, adorned concert tickets for the Grateful Dead and today leaps to life annually as the skeletal images seen during Day of the Dead, so popular now that even Disney and Pixar are planning a Day of the Dead animation film. Yet Posada’s influence is rarely associated with his name, his true story virtually unknown.
Dying in 1913, Posada’s narrative is shrouded in myth. Called a revolutionary, artist of the people, prophet, the Goya of Mexico and crusader against dictator Porfirio Diaz, he is reputed to have created an astonishing 20,000 images. But who was this man so inspirational to generations of artists that his energy still drives the imagery of many social movements today from Chicano Art to Occupy, human rights and immigration reform? Fascinated by Posada’s story, an American collector of Posada’s works embarks on a passionate search for the truth about the artist, traveling to Posada’s hometown of Aguascalientes, next to Leon and then Mexico City; encountering everything from art historians, Fidel Castro’s pajamas, Che Guevera’s backpack and a stop at the famed Arena Lucha Libre along the way. What he finds would have amazed even the artist Posada himself.

  • Victor H. Mancilla
    Director
    201 Squadron: The Forgotten Eagles, 2009
  • Jim Nikas
    Writer
  • Victor H. Mancilla
    Writer
    201 Squadron: The Forgotten Eagles, 2009
  • Jim Nikas
    Producer
  • Maryanne Brady
    Producer
  • Natasha Marin
    Credits
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    Art
  • Runtime:
    40 minutes 28 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 25, 2014
  • Production Budget:
    25,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    Mexico, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital HD
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Sonoma International Film Festival
    Sonoma, California
    March 28, 2015
Director Biography - Victor H. Mancilla

Victor Mancilla is a native of Mexico City. He has had extensive experience as a journalist, publisher, screenwriter, director and associate producer. He is the founder of Eravision Films, a production and film research organization. For over 12 years, Eravision has worked in the field on special assignments in the U.S., France, Cuba, Spain and The Philippines. Eravision has provided services to cultural and historical projects by HBO, Green Moon Productions, International Films, Latino Smithsonian, Transcended, Mosaico, Basic E. Inc, Travel and Space Museum and Project Uplift. In addition to numerous commercial industrial films he has served as Director and or Producer of:
∆ The Forgotten Eagles, 201 Productions*
∆ Niche de Muertos Eravision, Director
∆ Children’s Court, Lavine Productions
∆ Our Neighborhood, kidworks, Transcendental Media
∆ Living with Autism and Deafness, The Willie Rose Foundation
∆ Buena Vista Social Rock, Eravision (in production)

*Selected by Smithsonian Institute for Best Historical Documentary 2009. The Forgotten Eagles, narrated by Oscar nominated and award winning actor Edward James Olmos, tells the story of Mexico’s famed WWII 201 Squadron.

Mr. Mancilla’s work in progress includes:
∆ “The Lost Bullet” Feature Film-Ensuenos Entertainment,
∆ “The Legend of the Volcanos” An Eagle Tribute Productions
∆ “An American Spy” The story of Claire Phillips WWII Spy
∆ “ Let’s Play” Children video, Eravision
∆ “Growing Dreams”: Successes in Mexican – American Wineries

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Over the last several years during the making of ART and Revolutions people have asked me, “Why are you making this film?” As a filmmaker there is almost never a simple answer to such a question. In this instance I could say that my friend and co-writer Jim Nikas convinced me to make it. I could say that my Mexican heritage compelled me or maybe it was because the story of Jose Guadalupe Posada itself is so interesting. As we reveal in the film, Posada is often described as a revolutionary. The sum total of his work is astounding and there is no doubt that he has a place in history not just because he made the images of death, the calaveras, come to life but because the spirit, embodied in his work speaks to us all. His inspiration regardless of the label anyone would try to put on him influenced and continues to influence countless artists to this very day.

Posada’s role in helping the oppressed, the disenfranchised and the general uplifting of the human spirit toward a higher place is undeniable. Maybe that is what we are trying to accomplish in this film…to let people know his story. Posada has a place in the history of social movement imagery. To a large extent his name is, as Diego Rivera said, “forgotten”. But I don’t buy into that so much. Why should it be forgotten? Why not honored?

I don’t think we should allow his work to fall into the abyss of anonymity. By casting light on the works of Posada just as he cast light on the social ills of his time through his political cartoons, we celebrate it and see the connections that reflect what and who we are as people. Okay, so maybe we made this film to give credit to an artist so that maybe his name will be remembered.