The Devil Never Sleeps/El Diablo Nunca Duerme
TRT: 84 minutes, available in Spanish and English, Color, copyright: 1994
Tio Oscar with his MotHEr, francisca Ruiz Almeida, and his first wife katalina kuraika
Lourdes and her film crew conduct an interview in mexico for the devil never sleeps, photo courtesy of emilio mercado
Early one Sunday morning, the filmmaker receives a phone call informing her that her beloved Tio (Uncle) Oscar Ruiz Almeida has been found dead of a gunshot wound to the head in Chihuahua, Mexico. His widow declares his death a suicide. Most of his family, however, cry murder and point to a number of suspects that include the widow herself. In this fascinating look at family mysteries, Portillo returns to the land of her birth to investigate her uncle’s identity and sudden death. Finding clues in old tales of betrayal, lust, and supernatural visitation, she blends traditional film genres and experimental techniques to capture the nuances of Mexican social attitudes and family order.
Aunt luz, photo courtesy of emilio mercado
Lourdes’ grandmother, Tio Oscar’s Mother, francisca Ruiz Almeida
Lourdes and her film crew conduct an interview in mexico for the devil never sleeps, photo courtesy of emilio mercado
"Packed with magic and realism...Portillo keeps the suspense up in a way reminiscent of The Thin Blue Line."
—Tim Appel, The Oregonian
"Portillo's unblinking use of unadorned history gives a strong sense of the dramatic riches that lie buried beneath many of this country's Mexican roots."
—The Hollywood Reporter
ARTICLES
TO WATCH
Lourdes Portillo in The Devil Never Sleeps/el diablo nunca duerme