Opuntia

"My name is Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca and my spirit resides in this cactus." So begins David Fenster's poetic visual essay, which traces the treacherous expedition of Cabeza de Vaca, a 16th century Spanish explorer. Historical fact and fiction collide as Fenster visits the modern inhabitants along Cabeza de Vaca's route, stretching from south Florida to the heart of Mexico. Through personal diary entries, Cabeza de Vaca recounts the deaths of his men and the exhaustion of his provisions, ultimately transforming his mission and himself to adapt to life among the native tribes. (Los Angeles Film Festival)