Ex-voto for Three Souls Director: Diego Rivera Kohn, Canada/Mexico,
2008, 45 minutes
Sunday May 24 | 12:30PM | Vancity Theatre
Filmmaker in attendance
In Mexico, many men and women live within the fragility of a
precarious existence, hoping for a miracle to change their destiny.
But for miracles to occur, one must stand firm in one’s beliefs,
despite life’s uncertain outcome.
Ex-voto for Three Souls weaves together the stories
of three people who share a deep reliance on faith as they wait
for a miracle to unfold. Cristian, a young man literally trying
to fight his way out of poverty, places every hope in winning
a championship title that will establish him as a professional
boxer. Meanwhile, eighty year-old María-Teresa searches deep within
herself for the faith to enlighten her doctors as they prepare
for her surgery to prevent another heart attack. Luis, the fisherman,
serenely awaits the end of food shortages and for fish to finally
succumb to his net.
With a languid mise-en-scene reminiscent of a Frederick Wiseman
film and brilliant transitions that would inspire Errol Morris,
Ex-voto for Three Souls is documentary making at its best. Director
Diego Rivera Kohn sweeps the viewer into the mental states of
Cristian, María-Teresa, and Luis: three fighters who never abandon
the dreams that keep them alive. In this way, the film reveals
the transcendental aim in each person’s existence: the capacity
to imagine that destiny can change.
Director’s Biography
Diego Rivera was born in Mexico City. He completed a bachelor’s
degree in Audiovisual Media Production in Buenos Aires, Argentina
and his studies were subsequently certified by the The Institut
National de l’Audiovisuel in Paris, France. He’s attended
different courses in documentary film production and visual anthropology
imparted by Mexican and foreign institutions. He’s produced
different short films that have been screened in North and South
America, Europe and Asia. Most recently, he completed a Master’s
degree in Fine Arts at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada.
PRECEDED BY Slaves Hanna Heilborn & David Aronowitsch, Sweden, 2008, 15 mins
“We were abducted – my mother, father, sister and me. They killed
my parents and separated me from my sister,” Abouk tells us in
a low voice. Slaves is an animated film about nine year old Abouk
and fifteen year old Machiek who, like thousands of children,
were kidnapped by government-sponsored militia in Sudan. Though
their horrific experiences are raw, the children have dreams for
the future and when asked what they would like to be when they
grow up, they reply; ‘teacher’ and ‘doctor’.
