The Stakes

Mezcal is a sacred cultural tradition of indigenous Mexico—a spirit originally distilled in small villages for births, marriages, and deaths. But as millennials demand craft brands, mezcal sales have soared 86% in 2021 alone. This exploding popularity may soon lead to mezcal’s death.
Experts predict the entire industry could collapse within a decade due to agave extinction, deforestation, and industrial production practices.
True mezcal is at a crossroads, much like tequila decades ago, when quality and traditions were diluted by rapid commercialization. But across Mexico, a movement is growing to protect mezcal—and women are leading the charge.
"Women have always been at the forefront of sustainable practices, and sustainability is the only way mezcal will survive."
— Sósima Olivera, maestra mezcalera

The Stories

THE LAST HARVEST follows trailblazing women protecting the soul of ancestral mezcal across four episodes: Growing, Distilling, Regulation, and Distribution. From Fabi Monfil & Diana Pinzon tending 10,000 agave seedlings with Iztaccíhuatl volcano rising behind them, to Luz Ma Hernandez Saavedra harvesting under la luna sazona after 12 years of waiting, to Graciela Ángeles Carreño modernizing her family distillery while fighting government bureaucracy.
Many mezcaleras face death threats, armed heists, celebrity interlopers, and resistance from their own families in their quest to save this rare drink and unique cultural tradition.

Visual Approach & Cinematography

JERRY HENRY
Emmy-nominated Director of Photography
"High on the Hog" (the exact comp for this series)
UCLA MFA • "The 1619 Project" • Outstanding Cinematography nomination
Jerry Henry’s cinematography will capture the supernatural glow of moonlit agave fields, the fiery drama of ancestral distilling pits, the dazzling outfits of women farmers, and the sexy allure of high-end mezcalerias.
From Sacred Ritual to Global Commodity - The Visual Journey
This richly textured series brings viewers into spaces they’ve never seen: the hushed tones of armed guards protecting precious crops, the lush palenques of Guerrero, the corporate boardrooms where mezcal’s future is decided, and the celebration where these warrior women toast a 120-year-old mezcal.