Comala
(Comala)
Gian Cassini | Documentary, Drama
2021 | 98 minutes | Mexico
Filmmaker Gian Cassini investigates several generations of men in his family caught up in violence, including his father, who was a hitman in Tijuana.
Synopsis
In his acclaimed documentary feature debut, director Gian Cassini sets out to uncover the truths about his broken family. Comala becomes a detective story with Cassini picking up the pieces of his absent father’s life as failed hitman “El Jimmy,” murdered in a Mexican border town. Traversing the country in search of clues, the filmmaker exposes a network of men stuck within deeply rooted patterns of machismo and offers unprecedented access into the personal ramifications of Mexico’s war on drugs.
Reviews
"A great piece. Beautiful and very, very touching." — Wieland Speck
"An extraordinary film. Full of amotional courage." — Kirsten Johnson
"Cassini pieces together an impressively insightful and solemnly engaging documentary about how profoundly the people that raise us, or fail to do so, influence who we become. Despite how personal the subject matter is, the director maintains a rigorously inquisitive tone throughout." — Los Angeles Times
"Quietly engrossing... Gian Cassini’s first-person documentary examines a family past of paternal abandonment and criminality." — Variety
"A sobering experience... Cassini’s new documentary provides a harrowing first-person look at his life growing up the son of a sicario." — The Daily Beast
"Gian Cassini deftly considers the measure of a man in Comala, a potent true crime tale." — POV, Point of View Magazine
"A vital accomplishment." — Ira Sachs
Citation
Main credits
Cassini, Gian (film director)
Cassini, Gian (film producer)
Cassini, Gian (screenwriter)
Guzmán S., Gabriel (film producer)
Medellín, Ana (film producer)
Other credits
Cinematography, Iván García; editing, Gian Cassini, Elva Guzmán, Ana Laura Zeron; music, Galo Durán.
Citation
Cataloging
Pragda subjects
Biography
Criminal Justice
Culture + Identity
Family
Gender + Sexuality Studies
Latin American Studies
Latinx
North America
Sociology
Keywords
Clips
Festivals
Toronto International Film Festival; Doc NYC; Los Angeles Latino Film Festival; Guadalajara International Film Festival; Morelia International Film Festival; Santiago International Film Festival; International Documentary Film Festival Buenos Aires; Ambulante Tour
DIRECTOR: Gian Cassini
NATIONALITY: Mexico
YEAR: 2021
GENRE: Documentary, Drama
LANGUAGE: Spanish
COLOR / B&W: Color
GRADE LEVEL: High School, College, Adult
SUBTITLE/CC: AVAILABLE
AUDIO DESCRIPTION: NOT AVAILABLE
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