“After months of struggling with crippling arthritis, a former mechanic and father attempts to regain his identity as a working man with purpose and redefining his relationship with his son. ”
MANOS DE ORO : trailer
MANOS DE ORO : BEHIND THE SCENES.
Poster design by the iconic Akiko Stehrenberger. Instagram (@doyrivative)
LatinEQUIS podcast.
MANOS DE ORO : SHORT FILM
STORY
Manos De Oro tells the story of Sergio, a former mechanic, who is in the middle of a crippling battle with arthritis. Sergio lives with his son, Fernando, who still works at the mechanic shop where his father used to work. Tensions are high at home-- who is the new provider of the family and who is really taking care of who? While Fernando is away at work, Sergio spends his days around the house trying to make himself feel useful, despite his debilitating condition. This is a man of very few words and one who will never ask for help.
When the opportunity to fix an old family friend’s truck arises, Sergio begins a downward spiral towards denial and self-destructive behavior in an attempt to regain his identity as a working man with purpose. As a result, his troubled relationship with his son is put to the test. Manos De Oro is a deeply personal portrait of a man that once was, but no longer is.
MANOS DE ORO : PRESS
DIRECTOR : MERCED ELIZONDO
UK FILM REVIEW
“Manos De Oro is a character-focused story, told from the perspective of Sergio (Julio César Cedillo). From the opening shot — a close zoom in on his hands — to the beautiful attention to detail throughout, this felt like I was watching an episode of Breaking Bad. Elizondo’s eye is as sharp as Vince Gilligan’s, with a keen exploration of a subject. In around thirty minutes, Sergio goes through a wonderfully textured arc. We see his struggle, his motivation to push through even with his arthritis.”
LEAD ACTORS : JULIO CÉSAR CEDILLO & JERO MEDINA
UK FILM REVIEW
“The acting from the small cast is phenomenal. They feel like full characters, not just hollow shells. It seems like there’s some history here, and we’ve been thrown into their lives for a short moment. Julio César Cedillo and Jero Medina are a fantastic duo; The writing is superb and their performances support it. There’s a huge feeling of realism embedded in the stitches of this story, and what a well-executed story it is.” Taryll Baker
JERO
Born in Mexico City to a mother who is a painter and a father who is a cinematographer, Jero Medina has had a full artistic upbringing. In Mexico, he first appeared on stage at the age of 4. He spent his early teenage years in New York City where he began his acting career and later moved to Los Angeles before heading back home to Mexico City, where he currently resides. Jero is also part of the Primitive Grace Theatre group in NYC, directed by Paul Calderon and David Zayas, and is a proud bicultural actor-- enabling him to work both in the U.S. and in Mexico. His latest work includes the film Belle de Jour (remake) and the upcoming season of Netflix’s hit show Narcos: Mexico.
Hasselblad x-PAN Photos : SHOT ON ILFORD HP PLUS
Merced reviews playback of the scene as Jero prepares for another take.
Cinematographer, Mark Ragunton gets positioned to shoot Jero’s close ups.
Jero as Fernando.
