Eight of the 10 directors in the Morelia Festival’s main Mexican competition are women, led by two of the biggest Mexican fest hits of the year,“Robe of Gems,” Natalia López Gallardo’s Berlin Special Jury laureate, and “Huesera,” from Michelle Garza Cervera, a double Tribeca winner.
Features with Indigenous or Black Mexican protagonists have shot up in Mexico, from 14 in 2019 to 31 in 2019, according to Imcine’s Mexican Cinema Yearbook.
In 2017, Mexico’s biggest homegrown hit was Nicolas López’s “Do It Like an Hombre,” a merciless taunt of a Mexican macho’s helpless homophobia, which grossed 11.0 million in the country.
For centuries an entrenched bastion of machismo, in film terms, the dial is finally moving on diversity.
“When I started out, like 20 years ago, I could count with my fingers the female directors I knew in Mexico; and today, there are almost 100,” says Natalia Beristáin, director of 2017’s Morelia...
Features with Indigenous or Black Mexican protagonists have shot up in Mexico, from 14 in 2019 to 31 in 2019, according to Imcine’s Mexican Cinema Yearbook.
In 2017, Mexico’s biggest homegrown hit was Nicolas López’s “Do It Like an Hombre,” a merciless taunt of a Mexican macho’s helpless homophobia, which grossed 11.0 million in the country.
For centuries an entrenched bastion of machismo, in film terms, the dial is finally moving on diversity.
“When I started out, like 20 years ago, I could count with my fingers the female directors I knew in Mexico; and today, there are almost 100,” says Natalia Beristáin, director of 2017’s Morelia...
- 9/16/2022
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Director Patricio Guzman’s Cordillera among winners in industry strands.
The 32nd Guadalajara Film Festival (March 10-17), bookended by fierce criticism of Us president Donald Trump by local and international industry, has feted Everardo Gonzalez’s documentary Devil’s Freedom (La Libertad Del Diablo) with best Mexican feature, best Ibero-American documentary and best cinematography as well as the Mexican film critics trophy.
The feature, about violence in Mexico, is handled by Films Boutique and received its world premiere in Berlin earlier this year where it won an Amnesty International award.
Carlos Lechuga’s Santa And Andres, about political dissent in Cuba, was named best Ibero-American feature and also won best script.
Nicaraguan director Jose Maria Cabral’s prison drama Carpinteros (Woodpeckers) won best Ibero-American director in addition to best actor for Jean Jean.
Mexican debutant Sofia Gomez’s The Blue Years (Los Anios Azules), a coming of age drama, garnered five awards including best director, the Fipresci...
The 32nd Guadalajara Film Festival (March 10-17), bookended by fierce criticism of Us president Donald Trump by local and international industry, has feted Everardo Gonzalez’s documentary Devil’s Freedom (La Libertad Del Diablo) with best Mexican feature, best Ibero-American documentary and best cinematography as well as the Mexican film critics trophy.
The feature, about violence in Mexico, is handled by Films Boutique and received its world premiere in Berlin earlier this year where it won an Amnesty International award.
Carlos Lechuga’s Santa And Andres, about political dissent in Cuba, was named best Ibero-American feature and also won best script.
Nicaraguan director Jose Maria Cabral’s prison drama Carpinteros (Woodpeckers) won best Ibero-American director in addition to best actor for Jean Jean.
Mexican debutant Sofia Gomez’s The Blue Years (Los Anios Azules), a coming of age drama, garnered five awards including best director, the Fipresci...
- 3/17/2017
- by alexisgrivas@yahoo.com (Alexis Grivas)
- ScreenDaily
Dramas from Jayro Bustamante and Gabriel Ripstein take top prizes in Mexico.
Fresh from its won at the Berlinale last month, Ixcanul (Ixcanul Volcano), the feature debut of Guatemalan writer-director Jayro Bustamente, won best Ibero-American picture and best director at the 30th Guadalajara International Film Festival on Saturday (March 14).
The docu-drama, which won the Alfred Bauer Prize in Berlin, features mainly non-actors and centes on the poor residents who live on the slopes of an active volcano in Guatemala
Gabriel Ripstein’s arms trafficking drama 600 Miles, starring Tim as an Atf agent who is kidnapped by a Mexican gun runner, won best Mexican film in Guadalajara. It also picked up a prize at Berlin in February, winning best first feature for Ripstein.
Mexican debutant Celso Garcia’s drama-comedy road movie The Yellow Thin Line (La delgada linea amarilla) won the special jury prize, screenplay and audience awards). The film was executive produced by Guillermo del Toro.
Competing...
Fresh from its won at the Berlinale last month, Ixcanul (Ixcanul Volcano), the feature debut of Guatemalan writer-director Jayro Bustamente, won best Ibero-American picture and best director at the 30th Guadalajara International Film Festival on Saturday (March 14).
The docu-drama, which won the Alfred Bauer Prize in Berlin, features mainly non-actors and centes on the poor residents who live on the slopes of an active volcano in Guatemala
Gabriel Ripstein’s arms trafficking drama 600 Miles, starring Tim as an Atf agent who is kidnapped by a Mexican gun runner, won best Mexican film in Guadalajara. It also picked up a prize at Berlin in February, winning best first feature for Ripstein.
Mexican debutant Celso Garcia’s drama-comedy road movie The Yellow Thin Line (La delgada linea amarilla) won the special jury prize, screenplay and audience awards). The film was executive produced by Guillermo del Toro.
Competing...
- 3/16/2015
- by alexisgrivas@yahoo.com (Alexis Grivas)
- ScreenDaily
At the 26th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (Psiff) happening now, there are 27 films eligible for the Cine Latino Award, which will be presented to the best Ibero-American film screening at the Festival. Several of these films represented their respective countries at in the Best Foreign Language category for the upcoming Academy Awards. Sponsored by the Guadalajara International Film Festival (Ficg) and the University of Guadalajara Foundation/USA, the winner will receive a $10,000 cash prize.
Read More: "Wild Tales" Business and Pleasure
“What does it mean to be Latino or Ibero-American? We often engage in the most intensely absurd discussions trying to find a definition that satisfies us all. I believe, however, that the best answer can be found in the movies: where the ordinary becomes extraordinary and unique stories become universal fables. The increasing power of visual language and an innovative spirit –this is what our film industries have in common! And once again, 2014 has proven to be one of the most exemplary years for Ibero-American cinema. The Palm Springs International Film Festival recognizes the talent and creativity of its makers both in front of and behind the camera with the Cine Latino Award. This year we celebrate the vitality of the region with a record 27 films. We are truly grateful to the vision and commitment of two of the leading cultural, social and educational organizations in Mexico and the United States -- the Guadalajara International Film Festival and the University of Guadalajara Foundation in USA -- for sponsoring this award and helping to strengthen the cultural and artistic bridges so fundamental to all of us,” said Hebe Tabachnik, Ibero-American Programmer for Psiff.
“For the third consecutive year, top caliber Latino films will compete in the Ibero American competition at the Palm Springs Film Festival from January 2 to the 12, 2015,” said Iván Trujillo, Festival Director for the Guadalajara International Film Festival. “Their stories, genres and production values have garnered these films both critical and audience recognition at the most important festivals all over the globe. This will be indeed a very competitive year for an award that is acquiring more and more prestige worldwide.”
Read More: Dir. Alberto Arvelo on Venezuelan Epic "The Liberator"
“We have reached an important milestone. When the Foundation of the University of Guadalajara in USA made an agreement to sponsor an award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, we made a commitment to increase the cash prize within three years up to $10,000 to recognize the ‘Best Ibero American Film’ in the festival. Our Foundation is extremely proud to have fulfilled this arrangement with the Festival. Achieving this goal is only part of a whole project for the future,” said Raúl Padilla, President for the University of Guadalajara Foundation in USA.
Jury members include Josep Parera (Entertainment Editor – La Opinión) Nacho Carballo (Festival Director, Gijón International Film Festival, Spain) and Tom Davia (Founder & Managing Partner of Cinemaven Media).
Read More: Actor Alfono Herrera on "The Perfect Dictatorship"
They will review 27 films to select the Cine Latino Award winner. This year’s eligible films are:
"10,000 Km" (Spain), Director: Carlos Marques-Marcet "August Winds" (Brazil), Director: Gabriel Mascaro "Behavior" (Cuba), Director: Ernesto Daranas Serrano "Ciudad Delirio" (Colombia, Spain), Director: Chus Gutiérrez "Flowers" (Spain), Directors: Jon Garaño, José Mari Goenaga "Futuro Beach" (Brazil), Director: Karim Ainouz "Gente de Bien" (Colombia, France), Director: Franco Lolli "Güeros" (Mexico), Director: Alonso Ruiz Palacios "Hawaii" (Argentina), Director: Marco Berger "The Hours With You" (Mexico), Director: Catalina Aguilar Mastretta "La Tirisia" (Mexico), Director: Jorge Pérez Solano "Lake Los Angeles" (USA), Director: Mike Ott "The Liberator" (Venezuela, Spain), Director: Alberto Arvelo "Magical Girl" (Spain), Director: Carlos Vermut "Mateo" (Colombia, France), Director: María Gamboa "A Moonless Night" (Uruguay, Argentina), Director: Germán Tejeira "Mother of the Lamb" (Chile), Directors: Rosario Espinosa Godoy, Enrique Farías "Mr. Kaplan" (Uruguay), Director: Álvaro Brechner "Natural Sciences" (Argentina), Director: Matías Lucchesi "Nn" (Peru, Colombia, France, Germany), Director: Héctor Galvez "Not All Is Vigil" (Spain, Colombia), Director: Hermes Paralluelo "One for the Road" (Mexico), Director: Jack Zagha Kababie "The Perfect Dictatorship" (Mexico), Director: Luis Estrada "Sand Dollars" (Dominican Republic, Mexico, Argentina), Directors: Israel Cárdenas, Laura Amelia Guzmán "To Kill a Man" (Chile), Director: Alejandro Fernández Almendras "The Way He Looks" (Brazil), Director: Daniel Ribeiro "Wild Tales" (Argentina, Spain), Director: Damián Szifrón About The Palm Springs International Film Festival
The Palm Springs International Film Festival (Psiff) is one of the largest film festivals in North America, welcoming 135,000 attendees last year for its lineup of new and celebrated international features and documentaries. The Festival is also known for its annual Black Tie Awards Gala, honoring the best achievements of the filmic year by a celebrated list of talents who, in recent years, have included Ben Affleck, Javier Bardem, Cate Blanchett, Sandra Bullock, Bradley Cooper, George Clooney, Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Clint Eastwood, Tom Hanks, Matthew McConaughey, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, David O. Russell, Meryl Streep, and Kate Winslet.
The Awards Gala of the 26th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival is presented by Cartier and sponsored by Mercedes-Benz and Entertainment Tonight. The City of Palm Springs is the Title Sponsor of the Film Festival. Presenting Sponsors are Wells Fargo, The Desert Sun and Spencer’s. Major sponsors are Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, Wessman Development, Bank of America, Wintec, Regal Entertainment Group, Ignition Creative, Desert Regional Medical Center, Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands, Windermere Real Estate, Eisenhower Medical Center, Guthy-Renker, Integrated Wealth Management, VisitGreaterPalmSprings.com, Ocean Properties, Chihuly and Telefilm Canada.
For more information visit www.psfilmfest.org.
About The Guadalajara International Film Festival
Ficg was founded with support from the University of Guadalajara in 1985 by the Mexican filmmaker Jaime Humberto Hermosillo, with the tremendous help from young film students like Guillermo del Toro. It will celebrate its 30th edition next March 6-15, 2015. Ficg is the lead film festival in Latin America. It is a forum for the training, education, and creative exchange among industry professionals, film critics, and film students from all over Ibero-America.
About the Foundation of the University of Guadalajara in the U.S.
The University of Guadalajara Foundation in the United States of America is an extension of Fundación Universidad de Guadalajara, A.C., and is made up of a number of prominent academic and social leaders. The Foundation works to attain private support from individuals, foundations and corporations in order to fulfill the mission and vision of the University of Guadalajara in Los Angeles.
It seeks to improve the quality of life and social integration of migrants and hispanic nationals by increasing their access to education and enhancing their sense of belonging and identification with their environment by developing their skills and capabilities through educational services and relevant social research.
Read More: "Wild Tales" Business and Pleasure
“What does it mean to be Latino or Ibero-American? We often engage in the most intensely absurd discussions trying to find a definition that satisfies us all. I believe, however, that the best answer can be found in the movies: where the ordinary becomes extraordinary and unique stories become universal fables. The increasing power of visual language and an innovative spirit –this is what our film industries have in common! And once again, 2014 has proven to be one of the most exemplary years for Ibero-American cinema. The Palm Springs International Film Festival recognizes the talent and creativity of its makers both in front of and behind the camera with the Cine Latino Award. This year we celebrate the vitality of the region with a record 27 films. We are truly grateful to the vision and commitment of two of the leading cultural, social and educational organizations in Mexico and the United States -- the Guadalajara International Film Festival and the University of Guadalajara Foundation in USA -- for sponsoring this award and helping to strengthen the cultural and artistic bridges so fundamental to all of us,” said Hebe Tabachnik, Ibero-American Programmer for Psiff.
“For the third consecutive year, top caliber Latino films will compete in the Ibero American competition at the Palm Springs Film Festival from January 2 to the 12, 2015,” said Iván Trujillo, Festival Director for the Guadalajara International Film Festival. “Their stories, genres and production values have garnered these films both critical and audience recognition at the most important festivals all over the globe. This will be indeed a very competitive year for an award that is acquiring more and more prestige worldwide.”
Read More: Dir. Alberto Arvelo on Venezuelan Epic "The Liberator"
“We have reached an important milestone. When the Foundation of the University of Guadalajara in USA made an agreement to sponsor an award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, we made a commitment to increase the cash prize within three years up to $10,000 to recognize the ‘Best Ibero American Film’ in the festival. Our Foundation is extremely proud to have fulfilled this arrangement with the Festival. Achieving this goal is only part of a whole project for the future,” said Raúl Padilla, President for the University of Guadalajara Foundation in USA.
Jury members include Josep Parera (Entertainment Editor – La Opinión) Nacho Carballo (Festival Director, Gijón International Film Festival, Spain) and Tom Davia (Founder & Managing Partner of Cinemaven Media).
Read More: Actor Alfono Herrera on "The Perfect Dictatorship"
They will review 27 films to select the Cine Latino Award winner. This year’s eligible films are:
"10,000 Km" (Spain), Director: Carlos Marques-Marcet "August Winds" (Brazil), Director: Gabriel Mascaro "Behavior" (Cuba), Director: Ernesto Daranas Serrano "Ciudad Delirio" (Colombia, Spain), Director: Chus Gutiérrez "Flowers" (Spain), Directors: Jon Garaño, José Mari Goenaga "Futuro Beach" (Brazil), Director: Karim Ainouz "Gente de Bien" (Colombia, France), Director: Franco Lolli "Güeros" (Mexico), Director: Alonso Ruiz Palacios "Hawaii" (Argentina), Director: Marco Berger "The Hours With You" (Mexico), Director: Catalina Aguilar Mastretta "La Tirisia" (Mexico), Director: Jorge Pérez Solano "Lake Los Angeles" (USA), Director: Mike Ott "The Liberator" (Venezuela, Spain), Director: Alberto Arvelo "Magical Girl" (Spain), Director: Carlos Vermut "Mateo" (Colombia, France), Director: María Gamboa "A Moonless Night" (Uruguay, Argentina), Director: Germán Tejeira "Mother of the Lamb" (Chile), Directors: Rosario Espinosa Godoy, Enrique Farías "Mr. Kaplan" (Uruguay), Director: Álvaro Brechner "Natural Sciences" (Argentina), Director: Matías Lucchesi "Nn" (Peru, Colombia, France, Germany), Director: Héctor Galvez "Not All Is Vigil" (Spain, Colombia), Director: Hermes Paralluelo "One for the Road" (Mexico), Director: Jack Zagha Kababie "The Perfect Dictatorship" (Mexico), Director: Luis Estrada "Sand Dollars" (Dominican Republic, Mexico, Argentina), Directors: Israel Cárdenas, Laura Amelia Guzmán "To Kill a Man" (Chile), Director: Alejandro Fernández Almendras "The Way He Looks" (Brazil), Director: Daniel Ribeiro "Wild Tales" (Argentina, Spain), Director: Damián Szifrón About The Palm Springs International Film Festival
The Palm Springs International Film Festival (Psiff) is one of the largest film festivals in North America, welcoming 135,000 attendees last year for its lineup of new and celebrated international features and documentaries. The Festival is also known for its annual Black Tie Awards Gala, honoring the best achievements of the filmic year by a celebrated list of talents who, in recent years, have included Ben Affleck, Javier Bardem, Cate Blanchett, Sandra Bullock, Bradley Cooper, George Clooney, Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Clint Eastwood, Tom Hanks, Matthew McConaughey, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, David O. Russell, Meryl Streep, and Kate Winslet.
The Awards Gala of the 26th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival is presented by Cartier and sponsored by Mercedes-Benz and Entertainment Tonight. The City of Palm Springs is the Title Sponsor of the Film Festival. Presenting Sponsors are Wells Fargo, The Desert Sun and Spencer’s. Major sponsors are Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, Wessman Development, Bank of America, Wintec, Regal Entertainment Group, Ignition Creative, Desert Regional Medical Center, Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands, Windermere Real Estate, Eisenhower Medical Center, Guthy-Renker, Integrated Wealth Management, VisitGreaterPalmSprings.com, Ocean Properties, Chihuly and Telefilm Canada.
For more information visit www.psfilmfest.org.
About The Guadalajara International Film Festival
Ficg was founded with support from the University of Guadalajara in 1985 by the Mexican filmmaker Jaime Humberto Hermosillo, with the tremendous help from young film students like Guillermo del Toro. It will celebrate its 30th edition next March 6-15, 2015. Ficg is the lead film festival in Latin America. It is a forum for the training, education, and creative exchange among industry professionals, film critics, and film students from all over Ibero-America.
About the Foundation of the University of Guadalajara in the U.S.
The University of Guadalajara Foundation in the United States of America is an extension of Fundación Universidad de Guadalajara, A.C., and is made up of a number of prominent academic and social leaders. The Foundation works to attain private support from individuals, foundations and corporations in order to fulfill the mission and vision of the University of Guadalajara in Los Angeles.
It seeks to improve the quality of life and social integration of migrants and hispanic nationals by increasing their access to education and enhancing their sense of belonging and identification with their environment by developing their skills and capabilities through educational services and relevant social research.
- 1/9/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
The Guadalajara International Film Festival in Los Angeles - Ficg in La - presented by the University of Guadalajara Foundation in USA and Conaculta, with Principal Sponsors University of Guadalajara, the Guadalajara International Film Festival, the Institute of Cinema Mexico (Imcine) and Univision, announced the celebrities who will attend the opening night gala on Friday, September 5.
Ficg in La previously announced that Academy Award nominee Demian Bichir ("A Better Life," FX’s The Bridge), Rubén Luengas (Univision Radio), anchorwoman Gabriela Teissier (Univision TV) and Nalip (National Association of Latino Independent Producers) will be honored. Joining them at the festival will be the cast and filmmakers of the opening night film "Las horas contigo" ("The Hours with You"), Isela Vega (lead actress), María Rojo (lead actress), Cassandra Ciangherotti (lead actress), Julio Bracho (supporting actor), Arcelia Ramírez (supporting actor), Catalina Aguilar Mastretta (director), Roberto Sneider(producer), Bérénice Eveno (director of photography). The festival also announced the addition of the short film "Solidarity" starring Elpidia Carrillo, who will be in attendance with the director Dustin Brown.
Cast members and filmmakers of the Closing night film "En el último trago" ("One for the Road") are also confirmed to attend, including Eduardo Manzano (supporting actor), Jack Zagha Kababie (director), Yossy Zagha Kababie (producer).
Directors of several other films in the festival will also attend. Nicolás Echevarría (director, "Eco de la Montaña"), Ignasi Millet (subject,"Ignasi M"), Mariana Chenillo (director, "Paraíso"), Damian John Harper (director, "Los Angeles"), Horacio Alcala (director, "Grazing the Sky"), Sara Seligman (director, live-action short, "Diego"), Bernardo Britto (director, Animation Short, "Yearbook") will also be in attendance.
Ficg in La is presented by the University of Guadalajara Foundation in the United States of America and Conaculta, and Principal Sponsors, the University of Guadalajara, the Guadalajara International Film Festival, the Institute of Cinema Mexico (Imcine) and Univision, and Supporting Sponsors Cultura Udg, University of Guadalajara Foundation in Los Angeles, LeaLa, Channel 31.2 and the General Consulate of Mexico in Los Angeles.
For tickets and more information visit Here
About Ficg
Ficg was founded in 1986 by the Mexican filmmaker Jaime Humberto Hermosillo, with the tremendous help from young film students like Guillermo del Toro, and support from the University of Guadalajara. It will celebrate its 30th edition next March 6-15, 2015.
Ficg is the lead film festival in Latin America. It is a forum for the training, education, and creative exchange among industry professionals, film critics, and film students from all over Ibero-America.
About the University of Guadalajara – Mexico
The University of Guadalajara is a network formed by three educational systems and 15 campuses distributed in all the regions of the State of Jalisco, and it is the second most important and eldest university in Mexico. The University of Guadalajara is committed to the betterment of society through higher education. It supports scientific and technological research that makes important contributions to a sustainable and inclusive society, respecting cultural diversity and honoring the principles of social justice, democracy, coexistence, and prosperity for all. The University is renowned in Mexico and abroad as a leader in the transformation of society through innovative means through social development and dissemination of knowledge.
About the Foundation of the University of Guadalajara in the U.S.
The University of Guadalajara Foundation in the United States of America is an extension of Fundación Universidad de Guadalajara, A.C., and is made up of a number of prominent academic and social leaders. The Foundation works to attain private support from individuals, foundations and corporations in order to fulfill the mission and vision of the University of Guadalajara in Los Angeles.
It seeks to improve the quality of life and social integration of migrants and hispanic nationals by increasing their access to education and enhancing their sense of belonging and identification with their environment by developing their skills and capabilities through educational services and relevant social research.
Ficg in La previously announced that Academy Award nominee Demian Bichir ("A Better Life," FX’s The Bridge), Rubén Luengas (Univision Radio), anchorwoman Gabriela Teissier (Univision TV) and Nalip (National Association of Latino Independent Producers) will be honored. Joining them at the festival will be the cast and filmmakers of the opening night film "Las horas contigo" ("The Hours with You"), Isela Vega (lead actress), María Rojo (lead actress), Cassandra Ciangherotti (lead actress), Julio Bracho (supporting actor), Arcelia Ramírez (supporting actor), Catalina Aguilar Mastretta (director), Roberto Sneider(producer), Bérénice Eveno (director of photography). The festival also announced the addition of the short film "Solidarity" starring Elpidia Carrillo, who will be in attendance with the director Dustin Brown.
Cast members and filmmakers of the Closing night film "En el último trago" ("One for the Road") are also confirmed to attend, including Eduardo Manzano (supporting actor), Jack Zagha Kababie (director), Yossy Zagha Kababie (producer).
Directors of several other films in the festival will also attend. Nicolás Echevarría (director, "Eco de la Montaña"), Ignasi Millet (subject,"Ignasi M"), Mariana Chenillo (director, "Paraíso"), Damian John Harper (director, "Los Angeles"), Horacio Alcala (director, "Grazing the Sky"), Sara Seligman (director, live-action short, "Diego"), Bernardo Britto (director, Animation Short, "Yearbook") will also be in attendance.
Ficg in La is presented by the University of Guadalajara Foundation in the United States of America and Conaculta, and Principal Sponsors, the University of Guadalajara, the Guadalajara International Film Festival, the Institute of Cinema Mexico (Imcine) and Univision, and Supporting Sponsors Cultura Udg, University of Guadalajara Foundation in Los Angeles, LeaLa, Channel 31.2 and the General Consulate of Mexico in Los Angeles.
For tickets and more information visit Here
About Ficg
Ficg was founded in 1986 by the Mexican filmmaker Jaime Humberto Hermosillo, with the tremendous help from young film students like Guillermo del Toro, and support from the University of Guadalajara. It will celebrate its 30th edition next March 6-15, 2015.
Ficg is the lead film festival in Latin America. It is a forum for the training, education, and creative exchange among industry professionals, film critics, and film students from all over Ibero-America.
About the University of Guadalajara – Mexico
The University of Guadalajara is a network formed by three educational systems and 15 campuses distributed in all the regions of the State of Jalisco, and it is the second most important and eldest university in Mexico. The University of Guadalajara is committed to the betterment of society through higher education. It supports scientific and technological research that makes important contributions to a sustainable and inclusive society, respecting cultural diversity and honoring the principles of social justice, democracy, coexistence, and prosperity for all. The University is renowned in Mexico and abroad as a leader in the transformation of society through innovative means through social development and dissemination of knowledge.
About the Foundation of the University of Guadalajara in the U.S.
The University of Guadalajara Foundation in the United States of America is an extension of Fundación Universidad de Guadalajara, A.C., and is made up of a number of prominent academic and social leaders. The Foundation works to attain private support from individuals, foundations and corporations in order to fulfill the mission and vision of the University of Guadalajara in Los Angeles.
It seeks to improve the quality of life and social integration of migrants and hispanic nationals by increasing their access to education and enhancing their sense of belonging and identification with their environment by developing their skills and capabilities through educational services and relevant social research.
- 9/3/2014
- by Peter Belsito
- Sydney's Buzz
The Guadalajara International Film Festival (also known as FICG29 or Festival International of Cine in Guadalajara) is on my regular beat, but this year my work with the Talents will include an introduction to the book I am writing on Iberoamerican Film Financing.
The festival's inception occurred in 1986 during Mexican cinema's worst crisis in terms of production (only 12 features were made that year), and it was held with the help of the University of Guadalajara. This small showcase was curated by filmmaker Jaime Humberto Hermosillo and researcher/professor Emilio García Riera. It consisted of 5 features, 7 shorts, 2 documentaries, and a selection of Jaime Humberto Hermosillo's work. During this edition a young Guillermo del Toro stood out as one of the most outstanding volunteers.
A few years after in 1992, the festival premiered Alfonso Cuaron's Love in the Time of Hysteria (Solo con tu pareja), the film that launched his Hollywood career, this year he won the Academy Award as Best Director for his film Gravity. The next year, Guillermo del Toro presented his feature debut Cronos, which would go on to be selected for the Critic's Week at the Cannes Film Festival. From the beginning this film showcase became a required stop for Mexican filmmakers and programmers from various international film festivals.
In 1999 a selection of Iberoamerican films was added to the program and a section highlighting Canadian cinema was included, from the 7-selection 3 were from Quebec (Streetheart by Charles Binamé; The Red Violin by François Girard and 2 Seconds by Manon Briand). During the 23rd edition of the festival a selection of 7 features and 7 shorts was presented. Added to this Patrick Bouchard held a workshop on animation at the University of Guadalajara. This year the festival will have the pleasure to present the latest works from Léa Pool, Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette, and of course, Patrick Bouchard.The results of the 2008 workshop are visible in the constant production of animation in Guadalajara.
Starting in its 15th edition, in 2000, the showcase became a competitive contest for Mexican films. Two years after all iberoamerican films began taking part in the competition. From that year on, the impact of the Guadalajara program reached the entire iberoamerican region and became the premier meeting point for the region's cinema. In 2003 the initiative know as Iberoamerican Market (Mercano Iberoamericano) was launched bringing together over 170 industry professionals dedicated to selling, buying, and distributing films internationally.
In 2005 the showcase became the Guadalajara International Film Festival (Ficg) with the clear goal of having a space for Mexican and Latin American films, as well as a to expose the public and the industry professionals to international works. In 2013 the festival screened 254 films, 102 of which were in competition. The festival received over 800 journalist, and 817 companies in the industry section. Throughout the years the festival has honored artists such as Pedro Almodóvar, the Taviani brothers, Patricio Guzmán, Theo Angelopoulos, Álex de la Iglesia, Agnès Varda, and more recently Werner Herzog and Mike Leigh, among many other great filmmakers. In terms of actors John Malkovich, Marisa Paredes, Andy Garcia and Ángela Molina have also been recognized at the Ficg.
The festival is divided in 3 competitive sections: Iberoamerican Dramatic Features, Iberoamerican Documentaries, and Iberoamerican Shorts. In total Ficg hands out 16 Official Awards and 5 parallel others though different sections.
Among the array of awards the one dedicated to the Best Mexican Film stands out -The Mezcal Award (Premio Mezcal)
This year the third edition of the Maguey Award (Read more Here) will take place. It brings together, promotes, and recognizes cinema focused on sexual diversity around the world
In total there are more than 200 works programmed and there will be over 500 screenings in Guadalajara and the surroundings areas. Throughout the last 29 years Mexican cinema has changed deeply. From the crisis it suffered in 1986 to its current state there is a notable contrast. From 12 films a year, the average number of films produced currently a year is 120. During the 20 years the Mexican Cinema Showcase and the Ficg have been protagonists in the promotion of Mexican cinema, specially in the last decade.
It is also revelatory to see how influential has Mexican cinema been in the emergence of other film industries in the region such as in Guatemala, Costa Rica, Paraguay, as well as the great period that the cinema of of Chile, Colombia, and Uruguay are experiencing.
Withing the Ficg there are also other sections dedicated to international cinema, which are not competitive, but allow for the festival to be a meeting point for many cinematic voices.
Industry and Market
In order to encourage a productive agenda for filmmakers, producers, distributors, and sales agents during the festival, the Market oriented department will hold the following events:
IX Iberoamerican Conference of Iberoamerican Co-productions
the 7ª edition of the "Guadalajara Builds" program
Bilateral Conference: Quebec-Mexico
Over 800 film-related companies will be in attendance
Organization
During the last edition of the Ficg, the different events taking place at the festival were the product of strenuous labors by the organizers. They included the 5th edition of Talents Guadalajara, an experience in which 70 filmmakers from Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean participated, as well as the the 5th edition of the Doculab where several Iberoamerican documentaries in post-production were evaluated. Aiming to take advantage of the important figures present, the festival also hosted the 9th Creators Conference on Writing with Light.
Relationships with International Festivals
Throughout its development the Ficg has formed working relationships of support with many of the most important festival in the world. With the Marché du Film at Cannes the two festivals have developed the Guadalajara Film Market Producers Network, which is a window for the exchange of knowledge and ideas among professionals interested in the Iberoamerican cinematic spectrum. Talents Guadalajara is organized with the collaboration of the Berlinale Talents from the Berlin Film Festival, which supports filmmakers from the region. In addition with the help of the San Sebastian Film Festival, Ficg presents the program known as New European Trends : San Sebastian-Guadalajara, allowing for the discovery of new European directors. It is important to mention that Ficg has a close relationship with the Montreal World Film Festival, which allows for films of the region to screen at the Canadian event.
Special Guest
Since 2001 the festival hascdesignated a country or region to be the guest of honor
Germany, 16, 2001
Switzerland, 17, 2002
Chile, 18, 2003
Italy, 19, 2004
Greece, 20, 2005
Spain, 21, 2006
Brazil, 22, 2007
Argentina, 23, 2008
Colombia, 24, 2009
France, 25, 2010
Israel, 26, 2011
U.K., 27, 2012
Scandinavia : Finland, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, 28. 2013
Besides screening a selection of films from the selected nation, the Ficg always tries to have some of their most notable filmmakers present at the festival. After a decade of its inception the Special Guest section has become one of the most anticipated ones. It allows attendees the opportunity to see the most recent works from that national cinema as well as to have a direct conversation with the filmmakers, actors, and other representatives of that country's film industry.
Quebec 2014
The selection of films was made possible thanks to the support of the Quebecois Delegation in Mexico, the Sodec, the International Documentary Conference in Montreal, the Onf, among other institutions, companies, and filmmakers. This offers the possibility to be confronted with visions that explore the world and its conflicts, it's cinema without borders.On the other hand this can also be a very intimate cinema that captures the multicultural richness of contemporary Quebec with its diverse contradictions. This selection also represents the audiovisual expression of several generations, there are films from filmmakers with a careers that expand over 4 decades who interact with directors who have just finished their debut features.
The selection of films is divided into 4 sections
Narrative Features
Conformed of 16 features completed between 2012 and 2013. Each one of these films has had acclaimed international exposure and have played at festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, Venice, San Sebastian, among others. Together these films have received more than 23 international awards and 30 awards in Canada.
Ridm - Documentaries
Counting with 15 years of experience the Montreal International Documentary Festival (Ridm) is one of the most important events for documentary filmmaking. The rigorous selection process of this festival gives validation to the 5 films that will be shown at the Ficg, which will definitely be a center piece within the Quebecois program in Guadalajara. The Ficg will also have a special screening of a very important work in the history of film, For Those Who Will Follow (Pour la suite du monde) by Michel Brault, who past away last year.
Denis Côté
Denis Côté's career as a filmmaker began in 2005. Since then, he has created a short film, 3 documentaries, and 5 narrative features. Via his intense working rhythm this artist has demonstrated his abilities, rigor, and creativity. A look into his work will easily confirm that he has a profoundly original vision that takes storytelling to its radical limits.
The Short Films
Quebecois short films show an incredible imaginative freedom. Given the fact that in recent years several shorts, including animation, have been produced in Guadalajara, this will be an enriching exchange of perspectives.
Women in Film and TV Quebec-Mexico
Finally, aiming to strengthen the friendship that exists between the associations for Women in Film and TV both in Quebec and Mexico, the Ficg will host a second panel, which will be paired with a selection of documentaries that deal with the contemporary female experience.
David K. Ross
David K. Ross (1966, Canada) works in various mediums including film, video, photography, and art installations. Ross' formal training in architecture and great experience in photography of large scale and film have resulted in a great variety of projects in which he investigates the history of optical technology and geodesic practices, as well as many urban structures. His work has been exhibited in the most important institutions in the Americas and Europe, they also form part of many public and private collections, including the National Gallery of Canada, the Contemporary Art Museum of Montreal and the Canadian Center for Architecture. The artist will be present at the Ficg screening his work to expose the audience to his particular style.
Quebecois Presence in the Different Juries
Prominent members of the Quebecois film industry will be part of the diverse juries which will evaluate the films in competition.
Narrative Feature: Denise Robert's experience as a producer expands over 51 projects including narrative features, documentaries, shorts, and television.
Documentary: Roxanne Sayegh, who has worked with Ambulante, the most ambitious project to promote documentary distribution in Mexico. She is currently the Executive Director of the Ridm.
Short Films: Danièle Cauchard, Executive Director of the Montreal World Film Festival.
Maguey Award to Support Sexual Diversity in Film: Katharine Setzer, in charge of programming at the Image+Nation festival, which is in its 26th edition.
Fipresci: Montreal based critic Jorge Gutman
Mezcal Award for Best Mexican Film: Alisi Telengut, a student from Concordia University, whose film Tears of Inge was honored at the World Film Festival.
For more information on Ficg 29 and its different sections visit Here...
The festival's inception occurred in 1986 during Mexican cinema's worst crisis in terms of production (only 12 features were made that year), and it was held with the help of the University of Guadalajara. This small showcase was curated by filmmaker Jaime Humberto Hermosillo and researcher/professor Emilio García Riera. It consisted of 5 features, 7 shorts, 2 documentaries, and a selection of Jaime Humberto Hermosillo's work. During this edition a young Guillermo del Toro stood out as one of the most outstanding volunteers.
A few years after in 1992, the festival premiered Alfonso Cuaron's Love in the Time of Hysteria (Solo con tu pareja), the film that launched his Hollywood career, this year he won the Academy Award as Best Director for his film Gravity. The next year, Guillermo del Toro presented his feature debut Cronos, which would go on to be selected for the Critic's Week at the Cannes Film Festival. From the beginning this film showcase became a required stop for Mexican filmmakers and programmers from various international film festivals.
In 1999 a selection of Iberoamerican films was added to the program and a section highlighting Canadian cinema was included, from the 7-selection 3 were from Quebec (Streetheart by Charles Binamé; The Red Violin by François Girard and 2 Seconds by Manon Briand). During the 23rd edition of the festival a selection of 7 features and 7 shorts was presented. Added to this Patrick Bouchard held a workshop on animation at the University of Guadalajara. This year the festival will have the pleasure to present the latest works from Léa Pool, Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette, and of course, Patrick Bouchard.The results of the 2008 workshop are visible in the constant production of animation in Guadalajara.
Starting in its 15th edition, in 2000, the showcase became a competitive contest for Mexican films. Two years after all iberoamerican films began taking part in the competition. From that year on, the impact of the Guadalajara program reached the entire iberoamerican region and became the premier meeting point for the region's cinema. In 2003 the initiative know as Iberoamerican Market (Mercano Iberoamericano) was launched bringing together over 170 industry professionals dedicated to selling, buying, and distributing films internationally.
In 2005 the showcase became the Guadalajara International Film Festival (Ficg) with the clear goal of having a space for Mexican and Latin American films, as well as a to expose the public and the industry professionals to international works. In 2013 the festival screened 254 films, 102 of which were in competition. The festival received over 800 journalist, and 817 companies in the industry section. Throughout the years the festival has honored artists such as Pedro Almodóvar, the Taviani brothers, Patricio Guzmán, Theo Angelopoulos, Álex de la Iglesia, Agnès Varda, and more recently Werner Herzog and Mike Leigh, among many other great filmmakers. In terms of actors John Malkovich, Marisa Paredes, Andy Garcia and Ángela Molina have also been recognized at the Ficg.
The festival is divided in 3 competitive sections: Iberoamerican Dramatic Features, Iberoamerican Documentaries, and Iberoamerican Shorts. In total Ficg hands out 16 Official Awards and 5 parallel others though different sections.
Among the array of awards the one dedicated to the Best Mexican Film stands out -The Mezcal Award (Premio Mezcal)
This year the third edition of the Maguey Award (Read more Here) will take place. It brings together, promotes, and recognizes cinema focused on sexual diversity around the world
In total there are more than 200 works programmed and there will be over 500 screenings in Guadalajara and the surroundings areas. Throughout the last 29 years Mexican cinema has changed deeply. From the crisis it suffered in 1986 to its current state there is a notable contrast. From 12 films a year, the average number of films produced currently a year is 120. During the 20 years the Mexican Cinema Showcase and the Ficg have been protagonists in the promotion of Mexican cinema, specially in the last decade.
It is also revelatory to see how influential has Mexican cinema been in the emergence of other film industries in the region such as in Guatemala, Costa Rica, Paraguay, as well as the great period that the cinema of of Chile, Colombia, and Uruguay are experiencing.
Withing the Ficg there are also other sections dedicated to international cinema, which are not competitive, but allow for the festival to be a meeting point for many cinematic voices.
Industry and Market
In order to encourage a productive agenda for filmmakers, producers, distributors, and sales agents during the festival, the Market oriented department will hold the following events:
IX Iberoamerican Conference of Iberoamerican Co-productions
the 7ª edition of the "Guadalajara Builds" program
Bilateral Conference: Quebec-Mexico
Over 800 film-related companies will be in attendance
Organization
During the last edition of the Ficg, the different events taking place at the festival were the product of strenuous labors by the organizers. They included the 5th edition of Talents Guadalajara, an experience in which 70 filmmakers from Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean participated, as well as the the 5th edition of the Doculab where several Iberoamerican documentaries in post-production were evaluated. Aiming to take advantage of the important figures present, the festival also hosted the 9th Creators Conference on Writing with Light.
Relationships with International Festivals
Throughout its development the Ficg has formed working relationships of support with many of the most important festival in the world. With the Marché du Film at Cannes the two festivals have developed the Guadalajara Film Market Producers Network, which is a window for the exchange of knowledge and ideas among professionals interested in the Iberoamerican cinematic spectrum. Talents Guadalajara is organized with the collaboration of the Berlinale Talents from the Berlin Film Festival, which supports filmmakers from the region. In addition with the help of the San Sebastian Film Festival, Ficg presents the program known as New European Trends : San Sebastian-Guadalajara, allowing for the discovery of new European directors. It is important to mention that Ficg has a close relationship with the Montreal World Film Festival, which allows for films of the region to screen at the Canadian event.
Special Guest
Since 2001 the festival hascdesignated a country or region to be the guest of honor
Germany, 16, 2001
Switzerland, 17, 2002
Chile, 18, 2003
Italy, 19, 2004
Greece, 20, 2005
Spain, 21, 2006
Brazil, 22, 2007
Argentina, 23, 2008
Colombia, 24, 2009
France, 25, 2010
Israel, 26, 2011
U.K., 27, 2012
Scandinavia : Finland, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, 28. 2013
Besides screening a selection of films from the selected nation, the Ficg always tries to have some of their most notable filmmakers present at the festival. After a decade of its inception the Special Guest section has become one of the most anticipated ones. It allows attendees the opportunity to see the most recent works from that national cinema as well as to have a direct conversation with the filmmakers, actors, and other representatives of that country's film industry.
Quebec 2014
The selection of films was made possible thanks to the support of the Quebecois Delegation in Mexico, the Sodec, the International Documentary Conference in Montreal, the Onf, among other institutions, companies, and filmmakers. This offers the possibility to be confronted with visions that explore the world and its conflicts, it's cinema without borders.On the other hand this can also be a very intimate cinema that captures the multicultural richness of contemporary Quebec with its diverse contradictions. This selection also represents the audiovisual expression of several generations, there are films from filmmakers with a careers that expand over 4 decades who interact with directors who have just finished their debut features.
The selection of films is divided into 4 sections
Narrative Features
Conformed of 16 features completed between 2012 and 2013. Each one of these films has had acclaimed international exposure and have played at festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, Venice, San Sebastian, among others. Together these films have received more than 23 international awards and 30 awards in Canada.
Ridm - Documentaries
Counting with 15 years of experience the Montreal International Documentary Festival (Ridm) is one of the most important events for documentary filmmaking. The rigorous selection process of this festival gives validation to the 5 films that will be shown at the Ficg, which will definitely be a center piece within the Quebecois program in Guadalajara. The Ficg will also have a special screening of a very important work in the history of film, For Those Who Will Follow (Pour la suite du monde) by Michel Brault, who past away last year.
Denis Côté
Denis Côté's career as a filmmaker began in 2005. Since then, he has created a short film, 3 documentaries, and 5 narrative features. Via his intense working rhythm this artist has demonstrated his abilities, rigor, and creativity. A look into his work will easily confirm that he has a profoundly original vision that takes storytelling to its radical limits.
The Short Films
Quebecois short films show an incredible imaginative freedom. Given the fact that in recent years several shorts, including animation, have been produced in Guadalajara, this will be an enriching exchange of perspectives.
Women in Film and TV Quebec-Mexico
Finally, aiming to strengthen the friendship that exists between the associations for Women in Film and TV both in Quebec and Mexico, the Ficg will host a second panel, which will be paired with a selection of documentaries that deal with the contemporary female experience.
David K. Ross
David K. Ross (1966, Canada) works in various mediums including film, video, photography, and art installations. Ross' formal training in architecture and great experience in photography of large scale and film have resulted in a great variety of projects in which he investigates the history of optical technology and geodesic practices, as well as many urban structures. His work has been exhibited in the most important institutions in the Americas and Europe, they also form part of many public and private collections, including the National Gallery of Canada, the Contemporary Art Museum of Montreal and the Canadian Center for Architecture. The artist will be present at the Ficg screening his work to expose the audience to his particular style.
Quebecois Presence in the Different Juries
Prominent members of the Quebecois film industry will be part of the diverse juries which will evaluate the films in competition.
Narrative Feature: Denise Robert's experience as a producer expands over 51 projects including narrative features, documentaries, shorts, and television.
Documentary: Roxanne Sayegh, who has worked with Ambulante, the most ambitious project to promote documentary distribution in Mexico. She is currently the Executive Director of the Ridm.
Short Films: Danièle Cauchard, Executive Director of the Montreal World Film Festival.
Maguey Award to Support Sexual Diversity in Film: Katharine Setzer, in charge of programming at the Image+Nation festival, which is in its 26th edition.
Fipresci: Montreal based critic Jorge Gutman
Mezcal Award for Best Mexican Film: Alisi Telengut, a student from Concordia University, whose film Tears of Inge was honored at the World Film Festival.
For more information on Ficg 29 and its different sections visit Here...
- 3/21/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
By Gabriela A. Treviño
As an intern, I would not say that I am a jetsetter just yet. Instead of catching planes at Austin Bergstrom this summer, as one may have dreamed, I settled for catching movies at the Alamo Drafthouse. Not too shabby, I'd say, since I was able to visit Gotham City in The Dark Knight Rises, root for love at Camp Ivanhoe in Moonrise Kingdom and sit amidst a south Louisiana storm with Hushpuppy in Beasts of the Southern Wild. It was, indeed, a wonderful summer for film.
In addition to screening great movies like the aforementioned titles this summer, the Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar hosted the Austin Film Society's Essential Cinema programming on Tuesday nights. "CineSur: Films of Latin America" was the theme for June and July; the lineup included films from México, Peru, Cuba and Argentina. (Read Essential Cinema programmer Chale Nafus' thoughts on Latin-American cinema here.
As an intern, I would not say that I am a jetsetter just yet. Instead of catching planes at Austin Bergstrom this summer, as one may have dreamed, I settled for catching movies at the Alamo Drafthouse. Not too shabby, I'd say, since I was able to visit Gotham City in The Dark Knight Rises, root for love at Camp Ivanhoe in Moonrise Kingdom and sit amidst a south Louisiana storm with Hushpuppy in Beasts of the Southern Wild. It was, indeed, a wonderful summer for film.
In addition to screening great movies like the aforementioned titles this summer, the Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar hosted the Austin Film Society's Essential Cinema programming on Tuesday nights. "CineSur: Films of Latin America" was the theme for June and July; the lineup included films from México, Peru, Cuba and Argentina. (Read Essential Cinema programmer Chale Nafus' thoughts on Latin-American cinema here.
- 8/14/2012
- by Contributors
- Slackerwood
With the possible exceptions of Dark Horse (which may appeal only to Todd Solondz fans) and Klown (which may appeal only to fans of Danish gross-out comedies), it's another great week to seek out alternatives to the new releases.
My first suggestions are shameless, unapologetic repeats from last week: Beasts of the Southern Wild, Moonrise Kingdom, and Bernie. Really, people, your life will be incomplete until you see all three films. Stop reading immediately and go see them now.
If you're in the mood for some outdoor movie fun, the Blue Starlite Drive-In offers an irresistible, zombie-centric double feature on Friday night: Robert Rodriguez's Grindhouse: Planet Terror and George Romero's Night of the Living Dead. Presented as part of the Austin Film Society Summer Series, this event will be fun for the whole ... well, maybe not the whole family, but it's sure to be an enjoyable evening for the undead,...
My first suggestions are shameless, unapologetic repeats from last week: Beasts of the Southern Wild, Moonrise Kingdom, and Bernie. Really, people, your life will be incomplete until you see all three films. Stop reading immediately and go see them now.
If you're in the mood for some outdoor movie fun, the Blue Starlite Drive-In offers an irresistible, zombie-centric double feature on Friday night: Robert Rodriguez's Grindhouse: Planet Terror and George Romero's Night of the Living Dead. Presented as part of the Austin Film Society Summer Series, this event will be fun for the whole ... well, maybe not the whole family, but it's sure to be an enjoyable evening for the undead,...
- 7/27/2012
- by Don Clinchy
- Slackerwood
The Austin Film Society's latest Essential Cinema Series, "CineSur: Films of Latin America," begins tonight at 7 pm with Zona Sur at the Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar.
In 1962 or 1963, when I still couldn't vote or legally drink in a bar, I lived just a few blocks from the Teatro Panamericano in Dallas, the principal Spanish-language movie theater in el barrio (often dismissively referred to by non-Spanish-speakers as "Little Mexico"). The Panamericano was a beautiful building constructed for the Dallas Little Theatre in the 1930s, and was later purchased by the enterprising J.J. Ródriguez in 1943. While I was more frequently at other theaters experiencing Fellini, Antonioni, Truffaut, Godard, Kurosawa and the products of a dying Hollywood, I have fond memories of seeing Mexican films at the Panamericano.
Macario (Roberto Gavaldón, 1960) was haunting and mystical, while Los hermanos Del Hierro (My Son, the Hero, Ismael Rodríguez, 1961) was an unforgettable Western. While...
In 1962 or 1963, when I still couldn't vote or legally drink in a bar, I lived just a few blocks from the Teatro Panamericano in Dallas, the principal Spanish-language movie theater in el barrio (often dismissively referred to by non-Spanish-speakers as "Little Mexico"). The Panamericano was a beautiful building constructed for the Dallas Little Theatre in the 1930s, and was later purchased by the enterprising J.J. Ródriguez in 1943. While I was more frequently at other theaters experiencing Fellini, Antonioni, Truffaut, Godard, Kurosawa and the products of a dying Hollywood, I have fond memories of seeing Mexican films at the Panamericano.
Macario (Roberto Gavaldón, 1960) was haunting and mystical, while Los hermanos Del Hierro (My Son, the Hero, Ismael Rodríguez, 1961) was an unforgettable Western. While...
- 6/5/2012
- by Chale Nafus
- Slackerwood
Film review: 'Esmeralda ...
Intermittently engaging, occasionally surrealistic and briefly erotic, Fine Line's "Esmeralda Comes by Night" is about a 42-year-old woman who has five husbands and almost manages a sixth. A showcase for veteran Mexican stage and screen star Maria Rojo -- who has made several films with writer-director Jaime Humberto Hermosillo -- but not sensational enough to easily market, the subtitled limited release won't attract many non-Spanish-speaking viewers, indicating a short honeymoon in most theatrical engagements.
Hermosillo favors long takes and chatty characters -- a deadly combination for some. It doesn't help that the salacious material is softened to resemble a sexy fairy tale and the heroine is so happy all the time that there's not much tension. Based on a short story by Elena Poniatowska, the film opens with night-shift nurse Esmeralda (Rojo) waking up in the arms of law student Pedro (Ernesto Laguardia), her fifth husband and the only one suspicious enough to follow her when she leaves one morning.
Stopping at her father's place to change into a wedding gown, Esmeralda takes a taxi to church, where bridegroom No. 6 awaits. Pedro follows her and demands that she be arrested when he discovers what she's doing. In custody, but still smiling and not at all worried, Esmeralda is interviewed by a shocked Chief Inspector (Claudio Obregon), who expects her to be ashamed and repentant. She's anything but apologetic, with the bulk of the movie recounting her exploits and profiling the men in her life.
With nifty flashbacks wherein the inspector and stenographer Lucita (Martha Navarro) become interested observers and soon voyeurs of Esmeralda's sometimes racy stories, the nonlinear structure includes welcome touches of magic realism -- from Esmeralda's flower-sprouting dress to other displays of her magic. Too often, however, the pace is slowed by static shots of characters going through routine exchanges of dialogue, while one waits for the plot to go off on another unexpected but not always enchanting tangent.
So potent a woman that she can carry on with a committed gay man (Humberto Pineda) who married her for convenience, Esmeralda is a lying, cheating angel of love with the soul of a saint. Not surprisingly, the public and sundry husbands rally around her. "Polygamy is the future" reads one sign held by a supporter, and for some viewers, the message of "love without limits" will be refreshingly tolerant if somewhat radical.
Although Esmeralda emerges spiritually unscathed and even morally superior to the conservative inspector, she has a few too many husbands for the good of the movie. From Alberto Estrella as a charismatic pop musician to Pedro Armendariz Jr. as a boisterous Italian opera star, the heroine's most interesting mates don't get enough screen time.
ESMERALDA COMES BY NIGHT
Fine Line Features
Resonancia Prods.
Writer-director: Jaime Humberto Hermosillo
Executive producers: Carlos Taibo, Fernando Camara Sanchez, Salvador de la Fuente
Director of photography: Xavier Perez Grobet
Art director: Lourdes Almeida
Editors: Sebastian Garza, Jaime Humberto Hermosillo
Costume designer: Federico Castillo
Music: Omar Guzman
Color/stereo
Cast:
Esmeralda: Maria Rojo
Chief Inspector: Claudio Obregon
Jaime: Alberto Estrella
Don Virginio: Roberto Cobo
Jorge Luis: Humberto Pineda
Antonio: Pedro Armendariz Jr.
Lucita: Martha Navarro
Pedro: Ernesto Laguardia
Running time -- 106 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
Hermosillo favors long takes and chatty characters -- a deadly combination for some. It doesn't help that the salacious material is softened to resemble a sexy fairy tale and the heroine is so happy all the time that there's not much tension. Based on a short story by Elena Poniatowska, the film opens with night-shift nurse Esmeralda (Rojo) waking up in the arms of law student Pedro (Ernesto Laguardia), her fifth husband and the only one suspicious enough to follow her when she leaves one morning.
Stopping at her father's place to change into a wedding gown, Esmeralda takes a taxi to church, where bridegroom No. 6 awaits. Pedro follows her and demands that she be arrested when he discovers what she's doing. In custody, but still smiling and not at all worried, Esmeralda is interviewed by a shocked Chief Inspector (Claudio Obregon), who expects her to be ashamed and repentant. She's anything but apologetic, with the bulk of the movie recounting her exploits and profiling the men in her life.
With nifty flashbacks wherein the inspector and stenographer Lucita (Martha Navarro) become interested observers and soon voyeurs of Esmeralda's sometimes racy stories, the nonlinear structure includes welcome touches of magic realism -- from Esmeralda's flower-sprouting dress to other displays of her magic. Too often, however, the pace is slowed by static shots of characters going through routine exchanges of dialogue, while one waits for the plot to go off on another unexpected but not always enchanting tangent.
So potent a woman that she can carry on with a committed gay man (Humberto Pineda) who married her for convenience, Esmeralda is a lying, cheating angel of love with the soul of a saint. Not surprisingly, the public and sundry husbands rally around her. "Polygamy is the future" reads one sign held by a supporter, and for some viewers, the message of "love without limits" will be refreshingly tolerant if somewhat radical.
Although Esmeralda emerges spiritually unscathed and even morally superior to the conservative inspector, she has a few too many husbands for the good of the movie. From Alberto Estrella as a charismatic pop musician to Pedro Armendariz Jr. as a boisterous Italian opera star, the heroine's most interesting mates don't get enough screen time.
ESMERALDA COMES BY NIGHT
Fine Line Features
Resonancia Prods.
Writer-director: Jaime Humberto Hermosillo
Executive producers: Carlos Taibo, Fernando Camara Sanchez, Salvador de la Fuente
Director of photography: Xavier Perez Grobet
Art director: Lourdes Almeida
Editors: Sebastian Garza, Jaime Humberto Hermosillo
Costume designer: Federico Castillo
Music: Omar Guzman
Color/stereo
Cast:
Esmeralda: Maria Rojo
Chief Inspector: Claudio Obregon
Jaime: Alberto Estrella
Don Virginio: Roberto Cobo
Jorge Luis: Humberto Pineda
Antonio: Pedro Armendariz Jr.
Lucita: Martha Navarro
Pedro: Ernesto Laguardia
Running time -- 106 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
- 9/23/1998
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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