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In the Pit

En el hoyo

Mexico | 2006, 78 min.

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Screenings:

Festival edition: 2006

Section: Documentary Competition

Dialogue language:

Genre:

Description:

A compelling chronicle of the days the director spent with several workmen hired for the construction of the Periférico freeway in Mexico City. We observe their toil, often in highly risky situations, but also listen to the swearing and philosophising of Shorty, El Grande and other heroes of the ordinary workday. The phenomenon of the ubiquitous yet invisible, constantly changing freeway provides the director with invaluable material for psychological profiles of the individual workers. Using a disarmingly natural approach, Rulfo’s film combines civil aspects with elements of mysticism, set against the background of street sounds clunking to the industrial rhythm. An example of the remarkable Mexican documentary school of recent years. It proves that an inspired social probe can be filmed with exceptionally creative invention.

Director(-s): Juan Carlos Rulfo

Born 1964, Mexico City. Graduated in communication sciences and later film direction at the Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica. His graduation film, the short Grandfather Cheno and Other Stories (El abuelo Cheno y otras historias, 1994) was nominated for a Student Oscar.

Director's filmography

2006 En El Hoyo / In the Pit (dok.)
1999 Del olvido al no me acuerdo / Juan, I Forgot, I Don’t Remember (dok.)
1994 El abuelo Cheno y otras historias / Grandfather Cheno and Other Stories (kr.m.)

Cast & Crew

Producer: Eugenia Montiel, Juan Carlos Rulfo

Contact:

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In the Pit

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En el hoyo

dir. Juan Carlos Rulfo

Mexico, 2006 - 78

A compelling chronicle of the days the director spent with several workmen hired for the construction of the Periférico freeway in Mexico City. We observe their toil, often in highly risky situations, but also listen to the swearing and philosophising of Shorty, El Grande and other heroes of the ordinary workday. The phenomenon of the ubiquitous yet invisible, constantly changing freeway provides the director with invaluable material for psychological profiles of the individual workers. Using a disarmingly natural approach, Rulfo’s film combines civil aspects with elements of mysticism, set against the background of street sounds clunking to the industrial rhythm. An example of the remarkable Mexican documentary school of recent years. It proves that an inspired social probe can be filmed with exceptionally creative invention.

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