Jose Gregorio

Institute History

Description

Dr. José Gregorio Hernandez dies in a tragic accident. He had lived a righteous life and was loved by many. Thousands of people attend his funeral. When he arrives in heaven, Saint Peter tells him he’s been chosen to be the first Venezuelan saint. But being chosen is only the beginning – to become a saint, he will have to endure a long and grueling training process.

José Gregorio has to prove himself obedient and disciplined. This is hard for him, as he soon discovers that he can hear his old patients on earth calling for him. With the assistance of Angel Cerasumel, he finds out he can visit the patients and prescribe them treatment.

Sainthood education resembles the life of a monk. He has to fast, maintain silence, work in the fields, sing, and meditate. His teachers are a diverse array of saints, including Saint Michael and Saint Teresa. José Gregorio finds a good friend in a fellow student, Agapito, the future saint of parking spaces.

Through meditation he relives the most important events of his life on earth – a life marked by the early deaths of his mother, father and brother. They are the reasons he committed himself to the medical profession, to heal as many people as possible.

Meanwhile, back on earth, José Gregorio’s reputation as a miraculous healer has spread quickly. In Caracas the process to make him a saint begins. Representatives from the Vatican are sent to study his life and miracles. The church recognizes him as “Venerable,” the first step towards sainthood.

But in heaven, things are chaotic – José Gregorio has broken many rules, including bringing a cat into heaven. Events climax when Saint Peter refuses to help José Gregorio save one of his earthly patients, who is dying of lung cancer. José Gregorio is furious and gets into a fist fight with Saint Peter. His patient dies and José Gregorio has to learn that even in heaven there are things that cannot be controlled.

The screen play of JOSE GREGORIO is partially based on the real life José Gregorio Hernandez, a Venezuelan doctor (1864-1919). He was loved by his countrymen for his generosity, his dedication, and his great intelligence. After his death he became a semi-mythological figure throughout Latin America, believed to have performed miracle cures from the afterlife.

Credits

As you use our Online Archives, please understand that the information presented from Festivals, Labs, and other activities is taken directly from official publications from each year. While this information is limited and doesn't necessarily represent the full list of participants (e.g. actors and crew), it is the list given to us by the main film/play/project contact at the time, based on the space restrictions of our publications. Each entry in the Online Archives is meant as a historical record of a particular film, play, or project at the time of its involvement with Sundance Institute. For this reason, we can only amend an entry if a name is misspelled, or if the entry does not correctly reflect the original publication. If you have questions or comments, please email [email protected]