Coming to DVD and VOD today, Tuesday, March 1: GORED
Ido Mizrahy’s portrait of a matador made its bow at Tribeca last year. It went on to screen at CPH:DOX, Mar del Plata, Hot Springs, Raindance, Marfa, Key West, and the Bahamas fests. The doc now comes to DVD and to VOD platforms including iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play, among others.
Mizrahy’s film follows Antonio Barrera, who holds the unfortunate record of being the most gored bullfighter ever, as he debates whether he should finally retire for the good of his family. His ignominious track record doesn’t have Spanish promoters rushing him with offers, though, so the conflict is simply that he wants to succeed against the odds. However, his (in)famous luck with the bulls wins him fans in Mexico, paving the way for a farewell performance in Spain where he can finally prove his mettle. Barrera makes for an unusual subject – he is earnest and likeable enough, but it’s hard to sympathize with, or even truly understand, his quixotic – and dangerous – endeavors. Mizrahy doesn’t seem to want to engender any sense of Schadenfreude either, so the audience is left shaking its head as to why the matador persists in a field in which he’s clearly not suited.
what (not) to doc 