Alex Cox’s new film ‘Dead Souls‘ is now making the festival circuit. Loosely based on Nikolai Gogol’s novel of the same name, the protagonist, named Strindler (and played by Cox himself), travels through the American southwest seeking to buy the names and details of Mexicans who have died while encountering a cast of strange characters along the way. His actions draw suspicion, but that is easily overlooked if there is money to be made. Set in 1890, the story also speaks to contemporary politics around immigration and the U.S./Mexico border.
The film includes familiar faces from previous Cox films as well as new talents. Zander Schloss is Strindler’s sidekick Boracho. Edward Tudor Pole appears in a dreamlike animated sequence as Strindler’s father. And “outlaw songstress” Sarah Vista is imposing as “The Widow.”
The film had it’s world premier October 9 at the Almería Western Film Festival. Unfortunately flight mishaps preventing Alex from getting there himself, but cast members Tudor Pole, Vista, and Javier Arnal, along with dozens of crew and supporters, were there. It has also had screenings at the São Paulo International Film Festival and further showings, including in North America, are in the works.
I was on set in Tabernas last year, where part of the film was shot, and took some behind-the-scenes photos, previously posted here. After attending a script reading and seeing sections of the film being shot, it was exciting to see it all come together on the big screen.