News arrived this past week that Cinema Libre has scored a
major international film release for delivery to the domestic home
entertainment arena.
Mexican filmmaker Everardo Valerio Gout pulls out all the
stops with Days of Grace (aka: Dias
de Gracia) and the result were rewarded with no-less than eight Ariel
Awards (Mexico’s equivalent to the Oscar), a Cannes Film Festival nomination
for the filmmaker and other international film festival awards (too numerous to
mention).
Cinema Libre has selected May 5 (Cinco de Mayo) as the
street date for both DVD and Blu-ray editions.
Mexico City and the quadrennial arrival of the FIFA World
Cup serves as the back drop for a trio of inter-connected tales — each
unfolding four years apart (2002, 2006 and 2010) — that are a full-frontal adrenaline
assault on your senses. Violence,
intrigue, a time-jumping storyline and crafty cinematography make Days
of Grace one of those must-see films for both action fans and
discerning cinephiles.
Mexico City cop, Lupe Esparza (Tenoch Huerta — Best
Actor-winner for his performance here), is as tough, if not tougher than the
criminals he comes up against on a daily basis. Corruption is everywhere, but he will not be
touched.
In the first sequence he doesn’t come across as all that sympathetic
as he deals out street justice to a pair of young wannabe drug dealers — he
gives them a taste what they can expect if they continue down this unsavory
path. But we soon learn that he has a
softer side (a lull between violent and well-staged set-pieces).
This “street meeting” will figure in the third leg of Days
of Grace, as the kid (now eight years older), named Doroteo (Kristyan
Ferrer — nominated for Best Support Actor), has become involved with a
kidnapping ring.
No, let’s make that a BRUTAL kidnapping ring and their
latest snatch (played by Carlos Bardem), which he is responsible for guarding,
is beaten (and more) with no regard to his survival. Basically, pay or he dies … the longer it
takes the worse it gets.
It should be noted that even though Days of Grace plays out
over an eight-year period, filmmaker Everardo Valerio Gout has cut the segments
together in such a way that the events seemingly unfold simultaneously … there
is never any confusion as to where you are.
Presented in Spanish with English subtitles, bonus features
include a Behind-the-Scenes featurette and a photo gallery.
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