Sil-Azevedo

Five years ago director Kate Beecroft was driving around the country with her DP in search of a good story to film, "trying to find faces, stories, maybe something we could use for a short film or b-roll for a music video." She did not dream she would find a fascinating character in a setting where she would spend three years creating her first feature film. And what a film it is, a docu-drama based on the real lives of Tabatha Zamiga and her daughter Porshia. Tabatha is a young, punk widow, raising her children in her ranch in South Dakota, along with several other teens who, for one reason or another, were abandoned by their parents. Tabatha is a master horse trainer and Porshia is a gifted rider. Beecroft spent time teaching them to act in such a way that the authenticity of their fascinating story could come through on film. The compelling hybrid setting brings to mind Nomadland, even more authentic, perhaps, because these amateurs are reliving their own story. I was mesmerized and believe this film deserves an academy nomination. The audience at Sundance 2025 seems to agree. The film received their award at the festival.

"Listen, this is not just a single story, there are many..." says the narrator, in a soft yet authoritative voice of one who knows. He's warning you the viewer, or is it the protagonist? Both, because the story we are about to witness transcends the mountains of Peru. It is a universal story.

This mysterious narrator's voice--possibly the voice of our collective unconscious--coupled with the masterful, stark black and white imagery create a universe where reality and myth are one. "Mother Lode is a fable," explains director Matteo Tornone in an interview with Swiss magazine Daily Movies.

This is a simple story of a young taxi driver in Lima whose tuk-tuk breaks down forcing him to try his luck at La Rinconada, the highest and most dangerous Andean gold mine in Peru. The odds are stacked against him, the game is rigged, as if a devil were in control of his destiny. This is the story of workers everywhere, caught under the crushing machinery of unrestrained capitalism and the empty promise of fortune.

I was surprised to learn that this film was shot on a Sony A7S2--not an 100K+ Arri rig. The cinematography is exquisite. The writing, editing, and structure are exceptional. This is no ordinary documentary. It's a film of rare clarity and conviction - grounded in reality, yet free to do what great cinema must: tell its truth, artfully.

Wow. What director Ryan Maxey was able to accomplish here is nothing short of miraculous. Quartzsite, AR is a town of 2400 people, in the middle of nowhere halfway between Phoenix and LA. Every year, over a million RVers and nomads flock there to escape the cold up north and the vicissitudes of life everywhere. The result of this unlikely confluence is an otherworldly community that reminds me of a Wes Anderson movie -- except for this is real.

This documentary, shot in observational style by someone who knows the community very well, is a delight to watch. Superb cinematography coupled with masterful storytelling bring the community to life, and what a community this is. From old folks driving their RVs and flying their model airplanes to meth addicts trying to find a way out, the people in this camp are authentic, eccentric and lovely in their own way. Distinctively American and universal at the same time. What a film!