Dallas filmmaker Merced Elizondo is pulling out all the stops with his latest short film The Mourning Of. The movie tells the story of Maribel (Natalia Villegas), who is grieving the loss of her mother. She copes with her mother’s death by attending the funerals of strangers, but soon finds that her refusal to let go catches up with her. Inspired by personal stories from his own life, Elizondo brilliantly captures the process of allowing grief to consume oneself before ultimately having to come face-to-face with the truth.
A pure Texas indie, The Mourning Of continues Elizondo’s cinematic quest for growth and self-discovery. Back in 2020, Elizondo premiered Manos De Oro—which told the story about a mechanic named Sergio (Julio César Cedillo) who takes on a work opportunity despite having developed arthritis. Sergio soon discovers that pride has led him into a downward spiral, which puts his familial relationships to the test.
Elizondo feels each of his films are a “time capsule” filled with symbolism reflecting where he was at the time. And now, he plans to make The Mourning Of a career moment he’ll remember for the rest of his life. Earlier this month, Elizondo kicked off an Oscars campaign for The Mourning Of, which manifested as a result of the film doing well on the festival circuit. As the campaign is underway, Elizondo is bringing The Mourning Of to local audiences to garner buzz. On Saturday, September 20 at 2 p.m., Elizondo will host a screening at Dallas Museum of Art followed by a Q&A with the cast and crew…