Los ojos de la mar
Tuxpan, a town located in the State of Veracruz, is the closest commercial port to Mexico City. It is home not only to several wheats, corn, and soya import-export activities, but also to several fishing boats. As in all ports, the community that lives here includes traders, sailors, and prostitutes. The story told by this film starts in this setting when, in 2011, following a violent and unexpected tropical storm, a small boat of fishermen disappeared in the Gulf of Mexico without leaving a trace. The men that made up the crew left behind them families and friends devastated by sorrow. Five years later, a former prostitute and an old fisherman imagine a sea journey in another boat to mourn with a moving act of love. But before setting out, they need to meet the friends and family of those that perished and collect, in a magic box, objects, and messages laden with their most profound sentiments. (Festival information, Visions du Réel Nyon 2017)
The Gaze of the Sea glows with beauty and grace. Giving voice to a community of Mexican fishers struck by loss and grief, the film shows us what it is to be human. In these fragile men and women, forgiveness and redemption materialize. The film illuminates how love empowers them to overcome pain and find reconciliation with each other and with nature.