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While recording sound for Sons of Mezcal, my approach was to focus on the little details of each location. With many scenes having little dialogue, I was free to explore the rich soundscapes of the Oaxacan maguey fields. I would capture the wind as it sliced between blades of agave in the early morning and contrast it with the sharp chop of a machete through a Quiote. I remember the sound of fermenting mezcal bubbling in the palenque as a horse clacks its hooves and pulls a rumbling stone around the tahona. Oaxaca is as unique audibly as it is visually, and I hope that translates in the film.
The story of Sons of Mezcal is told through mezcal’s cultural significance, the familial bonds it creates, and the lineage of tradition it forms over generations within the families who dedicate their lives to the traditional production of this ethereal spirit.
Don Jose Cortés personifies these ideas, and his words are the compass Stephan Werk and I followed in crafting the film’s storyline. We stove to tell the intriguing story of mezcal’s living history, and it’s eminent place Oaxacan culture, through the lives of four families linking mezcal’s past to its future.
COMPOSER
When I watched the first cut of the project, it became clear to me that I had to find an element that would represent the film through its soundtrack. Something like the "musical sound" of the film. The characters in the film have such a strong link with nature and their surroundings that I felt the Maguey/nature was in fact an omnipresent character they all interacted with and that it was worth representing it in the music. This idea reminded me of an old collaboration I had years before on a stop motion animation of the legend of Pulque (an ancient beverage that also comes from the Maguey). It was through that project that I first came to know the Mayan trumpet/Quiote instrument which fitted just perfectly in what I had in mind for SOM.
A few years back, Stephan and I were sitting at my table in Brooklyn. We were sharing some Mezcal and talking about an idea to go to Oaxaca to document the process and meet the people that make this agave spirit. We booked tickets that evening to fly down a few weeks later.
The colors, the community and the deep history of Oaxaca and Mexico are told through Mezcal. The tradition and stories are what drew me to the place and to the people of the region. While editing this film I found myself reliving the times I have spent there and was mindful of presenting the history and process in the most authentic and truthful light. We wanted to capture the feeling of taking a sip of Mezcal, remembering the generations of people that came before and passed along this craft.
It was a true privilege to work as Cinematographer for Sons of Mezcal. What an incredible place, and what incredible people. It’s always an interesting challenge, sorting out the approach for shooting a documentary. Sometimes, it’s appropriate to script everything and guide the story where you want it to go. But in our case, I wanted the cinematography to be patient, spontaneous, and respectful. So we used the camera as a mirror—a no-frills reflection of life as a mezcalero. I found myself listening as much as looking, since often the sounds of the process were as fascinating as the visuals. Not much of what we shot was planned, and the magic was often in the quiet moments: an exchange of looks, the grasp of a hand, sunlight dancing in the dust. After all, the mezcaleros of the film are quiet and observational people. It only felt right to make the camera feel the same.
DIRECTED + PRODUCED BY
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
