Day of The Dead

This 1957 film explores the rituals and objects of the annual Mexican celebration of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), which is typically observed over the first two days of November.

The film examines the Mexican philosophy of death and the ways in which the culture understands and faces mortality. A rich variety of folk objects, created each year for the celebration, are shown in detail. Charles rarely talked about his time spent in Mexico in the 1930s, but in working on this film, he recalled how involved locals were in the festival. The Mexican folk music that accompanies the film was composed and performed by Brazilian guitarist and composer Laurindo Almeida. The production of the film was sponsored by the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

San Francisco International Film Festival winner, 1958.

14 minutes, 25 seconds.  Color.