Agave: The Spirit of a Nation

(Agave: The Spirit of a Nation)
Nick Kovacic, Matthew Riggieri | Documentary

2018 | 79 minutes | United States

An expressive documentary capturing the spirit of a nation and the people trying to protect it.

Synopsis

For the Mexican families who have been involved in the production of mezcal and tequila for generations, the agave plant has always been more than just a plant.

The stunningly photographed documentary Agave: The Spirit of a Nation follows a number of agave farmers who make the popular spirits the traditional way, and gives us a small glimpse of the considerable amounts of blood, sweat and tears that go into the production of the historically important – now trendy – drink. The result is a beautiful meditation on people and the land they live off.

Reviews

"With strikingly beautiful cinematography, the film celebrates the hard labor that goes into each margarita." — Dan Gentile, The Austin Chronicle

"Mixing beautiful cinematography, animations, archival footage and talking-head interviews, Kovaic and Riggieri do a fine job explaining.. the importance of the subject." — Christopher Reed, Hammer To Nail

"A deeper investigation...on the families that have worked with agave for generations" — The Hollywood Reporter

Citation
Main credits

Riggieri, Matthew (film director)
Riggieri, Matthew (film producer)
Kovacic, Nick (film director)
Kovacic, Nick (film producer)
Alcázar, Damián (narrator)

Other credits

Cinematography, Ernesto Pardo, Nate Pesce; edited by Clementina Mantellini; music, Caleb Stine.


Citation
Cataloging
Keywords
Agave: The Spirit of a Nation,Nick Kovacic, Matthew Riggieri,Damián Alcázar,USA,México,Mexico,documentary,agave,mezcal,tequila,tradition,industrialization,business,market,high demand,fmily,drinks,culinary,farm,nature,environmental,agave farmers,agriculture,farming,farmer,farm,market,food,agribusiness,agronomy,agri business,land,food systems,farm to table,farm systems,farm policy,agronomy,horticulture,agronomics,cultivation,food security,food systems,food insecurity,hunger,culture,identity,identity politics,culture wars,left wing,right wing,intersectionality,identity groups,civilization,literacy,humanism,cancel culture,online culture,cultural revolution,cultural diffusion,culture shock,popular culture,pop culture,material culture,cultural capital,cultural assimilation ,environment,environmental,environmentalism,climate,climate change,global warming,habitat,ecosystem,ecology,eco,earth,planet,water,sustainable,sustainability,deforestation,agriculture,green,green economy,family,kin,fellowship,household,immediate family,extended family,multigenerational family,multigenerational household,kinfolk,family tree,genealogy,nuclear family,modern family,family tree,economics,social class,money,capital,capitalism,class,economy,prejudice,intersectionality,inequality,poverty,income gap,wage gap,class warfare,elitism,snobbery,bourgeois,poverty,upper class,middle class,lower class,nouveau riche,education,school,pedagogy,schooling,elementary education,secondary education,upper education,advanced education,education gap,learning,schooling,university,college,degrees,high school,middle school,junior high school,public school,private school,independent school,elementary school,schooling,school policy,educational equity,indigenous peoples,indigenous people,indigenous,native,native people,native peoples,aboriginal people,aboriginal,aborigine,indigene,indigeneity,tribes,tribal,tribal people,tribal peoples,labor studies,employment studies,workers rights,workers’ rights,organizing,labor unions,trade unions,unions,industry,employment law,working class,labor rights,labor equity,employment,union organizing,labor organizing,labor rights movements,employment rights movements,workers’ rights movement,workers rights movements,north america,america,us,usa,united states,united states of america,us mexico and canada,map of north america,north american countries,states of north america,provinces of north america,countries of north america,continental america; "Agave: The Spirit of a Nation"; Pragda Films
Clips
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Festivals

SXSW Film Festival; Guadalajara Internatonal Film Festival

DIRECTOR: Nick Kovacic, Matthew Riggieri

NATIONALITY: United States

YEAR: 2018

GENRE: Documentary

LANGUAGE: English

COLOR / B&W: Color

GRADE LEVEL: Middle School, High School, College, Adult

SUBTITLE/CC: AVAILABLE

AUDIO DESCRIPTION: NOT AVAILABLE

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