Mateo

In the late 1990s, Matthew Stoneman – a red-haired, bespectacled, middle-aged American with the voice of an angel – ended up in prison. There he learned Spanish and upon release changed his name from Matthew to Mateo. He then made a name for himself as America’s first white mariachi singer.
In 2010, shortly after completing a course of Hispanic and Latin American studies, Aaron Naar read an article about Matthew/Mateo in the L.A. Times and was immediately intrigued by the contrast between his dark past, his striking appearance and his highly unusual aspirations. Naar contacted Stoneman, the pair met, and started collaborating the very next day.
A few months later, Naar knew that Stoneman’s life was rich enough for a feature-length documentary. He followed him very closely for four years, at home in Los Angeles and during recording sessions for his latest CCD in Havana. The result is a subtle, extremely candid portrait bursting with mariachi music.

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