‘Successful Outlaw’
Taos filmmaker David Luis Leal Cortez captures Taos legend Daniel ‘Pepe’ Rochón
DAVID LUIS LEAL CORTEZ is producing a transcendental documentary about the life and times of Taos legend Daniel “Pepe” Rochón. Biker, builder and master silversmith, Cortez filmed Pepe as he built an offgrid, adobe-style hacienda set entirely in Taos and titled “Successful Outlaw.” The story is a compelling montage of images and dialogue about a man who has “beaten incredible odds “carving out a life “off-grid, mostly alone, in the tough conditions of the mesa.”
Cortez has a background as a political operative who has worked on local, state, and national campaigns, and his first feature documentary “Drilling Mora County” has been screened throughout the state. Tempo reached out to Cortez and asked a few questions about the film. Here are the edited highlights.
Please talk about why you are making this documentary.
I met Pepe via a Hawaiian activist who was in Taos supporting Leonard Peltier and found him to be a very interesting personality. I was impressed with his skills and wanted to document him. He had a motorcycle accident that landed him in the hospital for four months seven years ago. Four years ago began a years-long battle with colon cancer that had Pepe in surgery at one point for twenty hours. So he could not do much and I began an effort to help him with this film as a formal vehicle about five years ago.
I am making a film about his survival off-grid, mostly alone, in the tough conditions of the mesa. The film will be biographical and capture him as an aging individual who has beaten incredible odds. He spends time alone with his donkeys and chickens and cat in an idyllic setting. I have cut many rough assemblies and sequences of different aspects of his life from shearing sheep, to the production of Concho belts and squash blossom necklaces, to setting fence posts.
What is behind the name “Successful Outlaw”?
That name came from my first interview with Pepe when he uttered,” I guess I am a successful outlaw.” I liked the ring to it and as I began to learn about Pepe, his life had moments of breaking the law, even hiding in Mexico. He was a member of Los Compadres, a motorcycle club until they were more or less ordered to cease operating by the Bandidos MC. I am sure there are some amazing stories he has not told me. There are already a few excellent films about off grid lifestyles (Oliver Hodge’s
“Garbage Warrior” from 2007). How is this one different?
Well, Pepe dislikes using trash as a building material. He often would say “the natives figured it out thousands of years ago,” regarding adobe. Highlighting his past work on homes like the Healy House and Return Gallery, now the Twirl toy store will now be more of a focus. There is a large adobe building community, including a dozen organizations who meet every two years in Santa Fe at a conference called Terra. Groups like Veterans Off-Grid are part of many people building on the mesa who I may feature in the film.
You direct, produce and edit the project, please talk about the challenges.
I shot footage with my iPhone until I got a 4k camera two years ago. I edit on a laptop using Final Cut Pro. It is very challenging to work alone, especially creating material like a pitch deck hoping to find an executive producer. I am also collaborating on a screenplay satirizing the justice system where an escapee traverses Northern New Mexico and southern Colorado entitled “Durango CO Unchained.”
What are the qualities of a great story and a good storyteller?
Well one may claim Pepe’s not a success insofar as building his last home. But his ability to survive what he has and live isolated to me is a story that needs to be told. The setting alone is gorgeous with 360 unimpeded views. I also believe as his generation passes on, there is plenty of literature about hippie culture, but hardly any moving image about Taos’ sects like New Buffalo Commune and the Mabel Dodge House when many artists like Pepe lived there. I will feature other local artists like Kevin Cannon and Seth Brown, who was featured in the book “The Art of Stamping’’ by Matthieu Cheminée along with Pepe.
I think you need a compelling subject or person such as Pepe. His ups and downs are compelling material for the voyeur in me. At one point we had packed all his things for him to live with his sister in Nevada. He was so weak he could not lift his beloved motorcycle, but after all of it, he refused to leave. From capturing him in rehab in Raton, to a book signing in Santa Fe, I have never ceased to find him to be one of the strongest and perhaps funniest people I have ever known. I often say the arc of Pepe’s story is a wave and we never know what will happen next. Let’s just say, I deeply admire Mr. Rochón and felt compelled to document his world for others to see. I prefer not to use narration but his story is so complicated it may be necessary.
Your budget is $300,000. How much have you raised to date?
I intended half of that for material and labour to build and the other half to produce the documentary. I am unhappy to report I have had no luck in fundraising and will use what material I have shot over the years. So we will not employ a building crew and documentary crew. In my director of photography, Tadeusz Ciesielski, I had the perfect partner who lived in the area. Ted passed away in December, dealing another major blow to the project. Family and friends all miss this talented man. I will have a completed film by November 2022.
If you’re interested in seeing the trailer for the film or donating to the project, see links below. Watch the trailer for “Successful Outlaw” at vimeo. com/176499491 and to contribute, visit nmfilmfoundation.org/fiscal-sponsorship-program.