FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 12, 2021
MEDIA CONTACTS
Charles Coleman: charles@facets.org
Paul Gonter: paul@facets.org
SON OF MONARCHS Press Release
Press Release
CHICAGO—FACETS is excited to announce the in-person screenings of Son of Monarchs by director Alexis Gambis. Son of Monarchs will screen in-person from October 22-24 and October 29 -31 at FACETS cinema. Tickets must be purchased in advance through FACETS’ website, and are $12/General Admission.
Full synopsis, trailer, and ticketing can be found on the FACETS website here.
Synopsis
An intricately constructed drama about personal identity and family relationships, as well as unresolved trauma. Son of Monarchs follows Mendel (played by Tenoch Huerta, Sin Nombre, Days of Grace) an evolutionary biologist who many years ago, left Mexico for New York, so that he could study how a genetic engineering tool can alter the physical characteristics of butterflies. After discovering that his grandmother has passed away, Mendel travels to Mexico to attend her funeral in Michoacán, home to the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. What is meant to be a two-day visit reconnects him with old friends and family as well as the ordeal that drove him away from the place he once called home. During the winter, millions of monarch butterflies migrate to the forests of Michoacán and Mendel has been haunted by memories of his younger self observing the forest and its creatures with his older brother Simon. However, scenes of the brothers in the present strongly indicate a critical event in their lives, that has created considerable resentment ever since, to their relationship. Mendel continues to be troubled by flashbacks of being orphaned alongside Simon, when their parents perished in a flood and it is clear that Simon feels that he was abandoned and Mendel finally confronts his brother about what really happened the night their parents disappeared, which has heart-rending consequences. Tenoch Huerta delivers a commanding performance as Mendel, in this transformative and autobiographical drama by director Alexis Gambis, as Son of Monarchs viscerally captures the scientific marvel and splendor of the butterfly, which in turn creates a mythic parallel to Mendel’s primal fears. Mirroring the annual flight of the Monarch butterfly across the Americas, Son of Monarchs presents a different kind of immigration story and after a long absence, Mendel begins a personal journey which is both powerful and transformative.
“Son of Monarchs won Sundance’s Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize, which recognizes portrayals of science in film. In addition to an MFA in film from NYU, Gambis holds a PhD in molecular biology, and is Assistant Professor of Biology, Film & New Media at NYU Abu Dhabi. If anyone was equipped to make a science film, it’s Gambis. The research scenes of Mendel hunched over a telescope feel real and lived in, not like the jargonistic forensics labs of crime shows or action thrillers. In Son of Monarchs, Gambis has mapped the butterflies’ migratory paths and genetic patterns onto Mendel’s search for belonging. It’s an inspired blend of science and narrative, and an affecting allegory emerges from the unique imagery.” – Jude Dry, Indiewire
Film information
Son of Monarchs, 97 mins, U.S.A./Mexico, in English with Spanish and English subtitles, directed by Alexis Gambis, starring Tenoch Huerta.
Showtimes
In-person screenings are available anytime between October 22-24 and October 29-31 at FACETS cinema.
FACETS Memberships
Become a FACETS Member today to receive special discounts, including up to 25% on all purchases and exclusive access to the organization’s video rental catalog of hard-to-find Blu-rays, DVDs, and VHS tapes. Sign up today at www.facets.org/members.
About FACETS
FACETS connects people to independent ideas through transformative film experiences. Founded by the late Milos Stehlik in 1975, FACETS inspires audiences to engage with film not simply as entertainment, but as an exciting tool to bridge cultural divides, promote digital literacy, and expand perspectives through empathy-driven storytelling. www.facets.org
FACETS presents the Chicago International Children’s Film Festival (CICFF), one of only two Academy Award-qualifying international children’s film festivals in the world. Submissions are now open for CICFF38. www.facets.org/submit
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