Western
Description
Eagle Pass, Texas, and Piedra Negras, Mexico, sit across from one another, separated only by the Rio Grande. The two towns have a long and proud history of convivial friendship and close collaboration. Martin Wall is a cattle rancher and family man who makes his living shuttling livestock back and forth across the border. Chad Foster is the longtime, easygoing mayor of Eagle Pass, who is as beloved by the residents of Piedra Negras as he is by his own constituency. Horrific drug cartel violence in their own backyard and federal policy made thousands of miles away challenge the lives and livelihoods of both men—as well as the souls of the two towns. Sumptuous digital cinematography and intricate sound mixing heighten the intimate moments that make up Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Prize-winner Western. With their previous documentaries, 45365 and Tchoupitoulas, brothers Bill and Turner Ross announced themselves as innovative and observant craftsmen on the vanguard of non-fiction filmmaking, and Western confirms their talents. It’s a documentary about a specific time and particular place that manages to feel universal. —Mike Keegan
Brothers Bill (right) and Turner (left) Ross are Ohio natives. Their first film, 45365 (the zip code of their hometown), won Best Documentary at the South by Southwest Film Festival in 2009 and the Independent Spirit Truer Than Fiction Award. Their second, Tchoupitoulas, won the 2012 Emerging Artist Award at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival. They are currently collaborating with David Byrne on a project about high school color guards.
Film Details
Language English, Spanish
Year 2015
Runtime 93
Country USA
Director Bill Ross IV, Turner Ross
Producer Michael Gottwald
Editor Bill Ross IV
Cinematographer Bill Ross IV, Turner Ross
Music Casey McAllister