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Torero

Carlos Velo
1956 Mexico 80 minutes Spanish

The matador Luis Procuna talks about his humble origins, his life and career, his passion for bulls and his fear of death before each corrida. From triumph to defeat, from family life where fear is not to be shown, to behind the scenes in the huge bull-ring in Mexico City, the torero works alongside famous and less famous colleagues. The death of the great “Manolete” worries him so much that he falters in one of the corridas and is wounded. He lives through the test of fear (of the bull, the public and himself) before reaching success. Reconstitution and news events are mingled in what is generally considered to be the best film on bullfighting.

Carlos Velo

(Cartelle 1909-Mexico 1988)
Diplômé de biologie de l’Université de Madrid, le Galicien Velo découvre le ciné-club de Luis Buñuel, avant d’en fonder un pour les Missions pédagogiques de la République. Il réalise avec son complice Fernando G. Mantilla de nombreux documentaires pour la République, dont beaucoup sont perdus (La Ciudad y el campo, 1934, Castillos de Castilla, 1935, Saudade / Santiago de Compostela, 1936…). L’issue de la Guerre civile le fait s’exiler au Mexique. Il y travaille aux actualités filmées, et participe au célèbre Raíces (Racines) de Benito Alazraki (1954) avant de devenir réalisateur.

Production :
George Werker; Manuel Barbachano Ponce
Editing :
Miguel Campos
Sound :
Adolpho De la Riva
Photography :
Ramon Muñoz

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