La Ofrenda: The Days of the Dead is a 50-minute documentary by Lourdes Portillo and Susana Munoz. On the first and second of November, families in Mexico participate in a ritual honoring the dead. Based on traditions going back to Columbian times, individuals prepare for visits by departed ones while, in the streets, crowds sing, dance, and let go of their inhibitions. The filmmakers cover celebrations of La Ofrenda in Mexican villages and in Hispanic neighborhoods in San Francisco where art, religion, and the disorder of fiesta all combine in a unique ritual. For these people, death is no stranger but an essential part of their lives.