RETURNING TO THE RIO PUERCO

Rayden Spurlock in Nasario remembers the Rio Puerco Photo: Kelvin DuVal

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We had a dramatic return to the Rio Puerco last weekend for pick up shoots - epic RAIN, the biggest rainfall of the season, swept away all our previous plans and invited us to create something absolutely beautiful and organic - which we did - thankfully, creatively. The river was running when we left! We took that as a good sign of our film being showered with blessings from the valley. And we were also grateful to be able to leave safely on roads which - after heavy rain - can become like ice and slip and slide dangerously.

Instead of filming the 'girl sprit' of the river by the river bed, we filmed her in evocative ruins that were walking (in mud) distance from where we stayed. Instead of filming the dry river, we got to film the running water. Nasario remembered nights of rain as a child, putting buckets and coffee pots under drips and the symphony of water falling here and there that would lull him to sleep.

The highlight, after the thunderstorms rendered us house bound for half the day - was climbing a hill behind the house at dusk, to see the white smudge of the moon emerging and on the llano, three horses galloping.

We did - in the end, get what was right for the film, what we might never have gotten before - beautiful light, magic feeling. And we probably have to return for a day shoot. 

But, in the desert, the rain always blesses..

We arrive now to our last month of editing with 25k needed to finish the beautiful timeless homage to Nasario García and New Mexico heritage that we have envisioned for years.

We have opportunities for SPONSORS - for up to a 1 min commercial spot that accompanies the broadcast and HERITAGE DONORS - just five 5k donations will get us there. We need this by end August for September finishing expenses - all this to be ready for our October 12 NM PBS broadcast. Plus two preview events, October 4 at the South Broadway Cultural Center and October 5 at the New Mexico History Museum.

This is where we need your help most, this last month of Nasario remembers the Rio Puerco.

Do you have suggestions for SPONSORS or DONORS.  Are you one or the other or both?

We'd love to hear from you. Please write to us at [email protected] or call us at
cell 609 651 5840

In gratitude for your support for our wonderful journey so far
Shebana, Shelene, Cecile, Kelvin, Dirk, Arianna and the production team