Pancho villa
Pancho Villa is a composition of memories of the Mexican revolutionary hero. Nearly 100 years after the revolution, Tabone asks Mexicans from different walks of life about Pancho Villa, one of the most well know revolutionary figures. All but one (an American from New Mexico) think of Villa as a good man who did all he could for the Mexican people. The documentary, which also includes archive images of Villa, can best be described as an ode to a revolutionary hero rather than a balanced historical account.
Historical Relevance
Pancho Villa, whose real name was Doroteo Arango, was the most important general in the Northern Division during the Mexican Revolution. This violent conflict began in 1910 and was influenced by various socialist and liberal movements in conflict with the dictatorial regime and the wide gap between rich and poor. Villa’s attack on the American town Columbus earned him a mythological status. Tabone’s film shows that many Mexicans today still view him as a hero.
About the filmmaker
Francesco Taboada Tabone (1973) is a Mexican researcher, filmmaker and professor of Mexican history. He began his film career with two short films and later went on to make documentaries. His first film, ‘The Last Zaptistas’, earned him international fame and won several film prizes.
Scenes ‘Pancho Villa’
In this scene several people (including his own daughter) talk about their memories of Pancho Villa : one of the most well-known leaders of the Mexican Revolution. Most of them think of him as a great man who merely acted in the interest of the Mexican people.
Villa’s background
A woman talks about Pancho Villa’s background. Her father used to manage the hacienda where Villa’s mother lived. We also see Villa’s son who visits the house where the Mexican revolutionary was born.
Turning bad
In this scene we learn more about Pancho Villa’s background. His real name, for example, is Doroteo Arango. Several people also explain the circumstances in which Villa ‘turned bad’.
A good man, a brave man, a womanizer.
This scene contains an interview with Juan Carlos Caballero, Pancho Villa’s driver. He was very proud to work for Villa as his driver, because he always considered the revolutionary a good and brave man.
The revolution
Pancho Villa helped the poor by stealing from the rich. However, during the Revolution, not everybody fought for the same reasons.
The assualt on Zacatecas and Diego Zapata
Fidel Varela Gaitan, whose father participated in the Mexican Revolution, talks about the assault on Zacatecas; the ‘triumph of the revolution’. This scene also contains an interview with Diego Zapata, the son of general Emiliano Zapata who was a good friend of Pancho Villa.
‘Villa was a terrorist’
Interview with historian Richard Dean. He talks about Pancho Villa’s attack on the American village Columbus in 1916. According to Dean, Villa was nothing more than a terrorist, killing innocent people.
Amnesty
After Pancho Villa went for amnesty, he retired to a pacific life. In this scene we see old black and white images of the school he built at his hacienda. He also provided the locals with food and work.
The death of Pancho Villa
Pancho Villa was shot on july 20, 1923. There are still Mexicans who miss him and who believe that their country would have been better off with Villa as their president.