Gibsons latest movie

[Amelia]

Apocalypto

8 Dec, 2006

When the end comes, not everyone is ready to go

As the Maya kingdom faces its decline, the rulers insist the key to prosperity is to build more temples and offer human sacrifices. Jaguar Paw (Rudy Youngblood), a young man chosen for sacrifice, flees the kingdom to avoid his fate. He is taken on a perilous journey to a world ruled by fear and oppression where a harrowing end awaits him. Through a twist of fate and spurred by the power of his love for his woman and his family he will make a desperate break to return home and to ultimately save his way of life. Apocalypto is a heart stopping mythic action-adventure set against the turbulent end times of the once great Mayan civilization and an allegory for the world we live in today.

http://apocalypto.movies.go.com/

The movie is based on historical and archaeological writings, Mayan mythology and culture and the Popol Vuh (the Mayan bible).

The film was made using the Mayan dialect and an all Latino and unknown cast. Entirely filmed in Mexico.

The Mayan Culture:

The once great Mayan civilization, which thrived in Central America for over 2000 years, is seldom talked about in mainstream culture. The ancient society was quite advanced in their political structures, had thoroughly developed agricultural and mathematical systems, and possessed unsurpassed astronomical knowledge (some of which is still being studied today), which helped them observe and outline an astoundingly accurate 365-day calendar. They were deeply devoted to their belief system, a lot of which ties into modern religion, and were highly prone to making human sacrifices. In all likelihood, they may be best known for their extraordinary architecture, most of which has practically been swallowed by the Mexican jungle after abandonment. Even more intriguing is their relatively sudden and rapid collapse in the early 1400s following many years of tremendous prosperity and dominance. The downfall of this great civilization has been studied for years and has been attributed to such factors as constant warfare, depletion of croplands, and unexpected droughts, but the exact reasons are still being deliberated.

Latino business group honors Gibson

Received Visionary Award for his work on ‘Apocalypto’

The Associated Press

Nov 2, 2006

Mel Gibson was honored by a Latino business organization Thursday for his upcoming film “Apocalypto.”

Enthusiastic applause greeted the Oscar-winning actor and director as he walked onstage at the Beverly Hilton Hotel to receive the Latino Business Association’s Chairman’s Visionary Award.

Gibson answered questions from association Chairman Rick Sarmiento about the film, a Mayan-language epic filmed in Mexico chronicling the decline of the native civilization.

[Toni]

My kids are studying the Incans, Aztecs, and Mayans right now. So fascinating!