Pulque’s song
In the award winning Pulque’s Song director Everardo Gonzales portraits the daily life in a local Mexican bar where older men enjoy each other’s company and their favorite drink Pulque. The documentary revolves around the history, production and effects of this highly alcoholic drink. Interviews about the fermented white beverage and the lives of the men who enjoy it are alternated with music played by the visitors of the local ‘Pulqueria’. Gonzales succeeds in eternifying not only the Mexican drink, but also a vanishing social drinking culture.
Additional background
Pulque is an alcoholic beverage made from the sap of the Maguey plant. It is especially popular in Mexico, particularly among the poor. Pulque is decreasing in popularity, as more and more Mexicans switch to more conventional alcoholic beverages. One of the producers featured in Pulque’s Song even predicted that the drink would cease to exist in 2009. The customers at La Pirata, where Everardo Gonzales made his film, are determined to enjoy it to the last drop.
About the filmmaker
Everardo Gonzales (1971) is a Mexican producer, director, cinematographer and writer. He has a degree in communications and photography, and is specialized in cinematography. Gonzales’ work was part of various photography exhibitions in Mexico. Pulque’s Song has been nominated for and has received several prizes, including a special jury prize at the Morelia International Film Festival in Mexico.
Scenes
Pulque
In this scene we meet Hector Zamora Ortiz. He is a regular visitor of the local bar ‘La Pirata’ where he sings, plays his guitar and enjoys his favorite drink: Pulque. As is explained in this scene, Pulque is considered the national beverage of Mexico.
The origins
More information is provided on how the highly alcoholic beverage Pulque was discovered.
The production of Pulque
A land worker talks about the production of Pulque. This scene also contains fragments in which you see how the national beverage is made.
Many flavours many fans
Pulque is combined with many different flavors. This scene also illustrates the high percentage of alcohol that the beverage contains.
The Mexican Women
The ‘Pulqueria’ (local bar) is not only visited by the Mexican men; women too enjoy the alcoholic drink.
Love, life and Pulque
The Mexican people interviewed in this documentary, elaborate on the topics of love, life and the relationships between men and women. Some of the people who are questioned, become quite emotional.
Extinction
Pulque is in extinction. Moreover, young people nowadays don’t drink Pulque anymore. Instead they prefer other alcoholic drinks.
