AllMovie

In Mexico City's rough-and-tumble Tepito district, crime and violence are unfortunate facts of life, and in a dominantly Catholic nation it's no surprise that the people of Tepito have turned to a favored saint for guidance and protection. However, in Tepito the saint in whom many have placed their faith has been rejected by the Catholic Church -- Santa Muerte, or Saint Death, who is personified in icons as a skeleton shrouded in a white dress. Adopted by the poor and many in the criminal underclass, Saint Death is to some a throwback to Aztec deities of the past, and to others a presence that has become so common in Mexico that they have chosen to worship death rather than shun it. Filmmaker Eva Aridjis examines this phenomenon in the documentary Saint Death, which features interviews with a number of worshipers to pay tribute to Santa Muerta shrines, as well as tracing the history of this saint created by the people. Gael Garcia Bernal provides the film's narration.