screenshots / Apocalypto / 2006 Icon Productions

Set in the twilight of the Mayan civilization, a captured young tribesman must escape human sacrifice and return to his village so as to rescue his family and also his way of life.

Directed by Mel Gibson (Mad Max Beyond Thunderome) the film's cast includes Rudy Youngblood, Raoul Trujillo, Jonathan Brewer, Gerardo Taracena and Ricardo Diaz Mendoza.

For his portrayal of Jaguar Paw, actor Rudy Youngblood won the First Americans in the Arts (FAITA) Award for "Outstanding Performance by an Actor".

Other screen credits of Raoul Trujillo include Black Fox (1995), Song of Hiawatha (1997) and The New World (2005).

Prior to being cast in the role of Blunted, actor Jonathan Brewer appeared in the 2003 film Dreamkeeper.

Actor Ricardo Diaz Mendoza (as Cut Rock) later appeared as Ocelot in the 2015 short film New Dawn.

All dialogue spoken by the cast is done so in the language of the Yucatec Maya.

Filming locations in the Mexican state of Veracruz included Catemaco, Paso de Ovejas and San Andrés Tuxtla (Eyipantla Falls).

Mexican actor Gerardo Taracena (cast as Middle Eye) passed in 2026 at the age of 55.