Image Courtesy of Hyperallergic

The documentary Mucho Mucho Amor, which just premiered at Sundance, feels like a celebration in a way few biographies do.

Image Courtesy of Hyperallergic

The documentary Mucho Mucho Amor, which just premiered at Sundance, feels like a celebration in a way few biographies do.

It is perhaps impossible to capture what an enigmatic figure like Walter Mercado has meant to the millions around the world who watched him on TV. But Cristina Costantini and Kareem Tabsch’s heartfelt tribute that just premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, Mucho Mucho Amor, does an impeccable job of introducing the famous astrologer to those who never knew him, along with celebrating his story with those who watched him long enough to consider him a distant relative. 

Even growing up in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Mercado showed signs of being different. He preferred the arts over farmwork, acting over labor. As a young boy, neighbors thought he had special powers, and soon they would not be the only ones. During his early years as an actor, Mercado was invited to promote one of his shows on a local TV station in the 1960s. However, instead of the usual promo spot, a producer suggested that he share his interest in astrology and do a round of horoscopes. The segment proved to be so popular that Mercado was hired on the spot to deliver daily horoscopes, and his popularity grew until his predictions were watched throughout the Americas and abroad, to places like England and Holland, reaching 120 million people at the peak of his popularity.

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