Educational Media Reviews Online

She was called the “mother of modern photography” by artist Diego Rivera. Photographer, model, revolutionary; this movie is the story of the tumultuous years Tina Modotti spent in Mexico, from 1922 until she was deported in 1929. Born in Italy, Tina emigrated to the United States in 1913 and appeared in Hollywood silent films before she moved to Mexico with photographer Edward Weston. There she modeled for him and muralists Diego Rivera and Jose Orozco. She became a photographer herself and in 1927 joined the Communist party in Mexico. She became increasingly involved with revolutionary politics, forming romantic liaisons with the Cuban revolutionary Julio Antonio Mella and with the communist Vittorio Vidali.

Tina in Mexico was shot in Mexico City in the fall of 2000 and uses archival footage, photographs, the murals of Diego Rivera and Jose Orozco, Edward Weston’s daybooks and Tina’s letters to recreate Tina’s personal life and the political environment in Mexico City in the 1920s. Tina’s voice in the movie is performed by Allegra Fulton, who won the Dora Mavor Moore Award for her role in Frida K and her on screen performance is by Mexican actress Tania Cabagne Ibarra.

The film is shot entirely in black and white. Many of the images are stunningly beautiful, especially the Weston and Modotti photographs and the Rivera and Orozco murals. But more than being merely beautiful, this film is intensely interesting. It gives us an intimate view of what life was like in Mexico during the Mexican revolution from the point of view of a passionate political activist and artist. This film is highly recommended for college students and other adult audiences.

Awards:

• Golden Rose Winner, Rose D'Or, Switzerland
• Best Arts/Entertainment, Best Cinematography and Best Script, Golden Sheaf Awards
• Bronze Plaque, Columbus International Film and Video Festival
• Best Arts/Culture Documentary, New Latin American Cinema Festival, Cuba