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| February |

• Gored

  23 February 2016

  by Gus Summers

  Ido Mizrahy's GORED is not merely a documentary on the world of bullfighting. It is the story of Antonio Barrera in whom dwells the truest spirit of sportsmanship.

  SYNOPSIS. Antonio Barrera is the most gored bullfighter in modern history, and known to perform with total abandonment. He's been gored twenty three times, an unusually high number that includes seventeen surgeries, countless broken bones and many mental scars. Now with a family to consider, a body that won't hold up and a lack of interest from promoters, Barrera has decided to retire. Before his last bullfight, he is conflicted. After taking such a beating all his life, he dreams of staying alive for his family. Yet he still fantasizes of becoming a well-known bullfighter, a dream that he and his father shared, and to do that he feels he must sacrifice himself to the bulls. Will he survive his final performance?

  Senior Barrera hold the dubious title of "Most Gored Bullfighter in History," and he is the subject of this intriguing 2015 Tribeca Film Festival favorite! Directed by Ido Mizrahy (known for PATROLMAN P (2013) and THINGS THAT HANG FROM TREES (2006)), and written by Geoffrey Gray (who previously profiled Barrera in an article for Sports Illustrated, GORED delivers the story of Antonio's life-long efforts to become a world class Bullfighter with respect and awe mingled with utter astonishment.
  
  GORED begins with the preparation leading up to his last bullfight. As we watch Barrera and the bull, we are filled first with a taut expectation, and then a burst of fear as the bull charges him; when, suddenly we are transported back in time to his youth. To that time when he fell in love with bullfighting.

  Throughout the course of the film, Director Mizrahy introduces us to Barrera's family, friends, and even his critics. They reveal their perceptions and boiled down conclusions; That all seemed fated for Antonio to follow in his father's footsteps.
  
  This is how we learn that Barrera was never blessed with the beauty and grace of the "great matadors," so he chose the route of being one who had great courage and would fly in the face of danger and the bull.
  
  After seeing Antonio gored over and over, one begins to wonder why he continues. Is it for the love of the sport? The search for fame? Or perhaps Barrera was fated with the trait of being a great sportsman, who dared to go where few have ever dared.
  
  The IN Show caught up with Director Ido Mizrahy and we were able to ask him a few question about Senor Barrera, the Bullfighting world, and GORED. You can hear our interview during The "IN" Show's February 25th broadcast. The "IN" Show airs each Thursday from 1-2pm PST and you can here. Catch you then!
  
  GORED is scheduled to be released on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, and other digital platforms on March 1. For more information visit GOREDtheMovie.com.