A man born without limbs plays harmonica to feed his family—and dares you to judge him.
'Born Without' is a documentary about severely handicapped Mexican actor and musician Jose Flores. "Born without arms and other limbs, Jose supports his large family by playing the harmonica throughout Mexico. In the face of adversity, he shows great courage and spiritual strength. This is a film with multiple layers. It is about sharing, daring and being grateful for what we have. It is also an exploration of social values, some of them controversial. Many of Jose's choices have been strongly criticized by his family and people around him. As a result, this is also a film about self discovery: a way to explore what we judge ... and what we choose to accept and forgive."
Direction
Eva Norvind refuses easy redemption arcs—brutal honesty throughout.
Score
José's harmonica performances: raw, haunting, economically vital.
Director
Eva Norvind
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Norvind was a Norwegian-Mexican actress turned documentarian; this was her final film before her death in 2010.
The film's controversy stems from José's actual life choices—his family disowned him on camera, then reconciled. Norvind kept both.
MX
