In our first event, we screened a total of ten multi award-winning Mexican short films, the vast majority shown for the first time in Europe and the UK.
We were proud to show new releases including Land and Bread (Tierra y Pan, 2008) from award-winning director Carlos Armella alongside already internationally recognised material such as The Hero (El Héroe, 1994) directed by Carlos Carrera, who was awarded the Golden Palm at Cannes Film Festival 1994.
Dr Germán Martínez provided us with supplementary material that further contextualised the programme. His introduction to Mexico and original essay The Crossroads of Mexican Cinema offered a specialist insight into the region and paved the way for further discussion and investigation of these works.
The event was hosted by Shortwave Cinema in December 2009, and we were fortunate enough to attract a full house of cinema enthusiasts. We would like to extend our thanks to everyone who came, and we are especially grateful to our colleague Alejandro Díaz San Vincente, from IMCINE (Mexican Film Institute) who believed in our first project and worked tirelessly to help us make this event a success.
Short Films
The boy who flew (De cómo los niños pueden volar). Dir: Leopoldo Aguilar / 7′ / 2008
Marco is a kid who dreams about flying. But in his world, his feet will have to stay in the ground. A pompous raven can teach the boy a lesson about how kids can fly.
Beyond the Mexique Bay. Dir: Jean-Marc Rousseau Ruiz / 16′ / 2008
An electric shock kills a young man and turns him into a human battery whose energy its being consumed by his family and neighbors.
Best Mexican Short Film, International Film Festival “Expresión en Corto”, Mexico, 2008
Victory Electrique (La curiosa conquista del ampere). Dir: Ramón Orozco Stoltenberg / 12′ / 2008
An electric shock kills a young man and turns him into a human battery whose energy its being consumed by his family and neighbors.
Jury Special Mention, Short Shorts Film Festival, Mexico, 2008
Out of control (Fuera de control). Dir: Sofía Carrillo / 11′ / 2008
Incomplete and isolated, several characters share the solitude inside a labyrinthine house. They will desperately look to complement each other.
Official selection Sundance International Film Festival and Sitges International Film Festival
The Immaculate (La Purísima). Dir: Carlos Muñoz / 12′ / 2008
Don Julián is a respected crafter of religious figures. When another side of his art is accidentally revealed, life in the community changes radically.
Best Script, International Film Festival “Expresión en Corto”, Mexico, 2008
Short tale about the spontaneous sprout of an imaginary tree (Breve cuento sobre la aparición espontánea de un árbol imaginario). Dir: Pepe Ávila del Pino / 14′ / 2007
A troubadour kid, an old philosopher, a thoughtful cow, a five years old mentor, a gangster with ponytails, an ogre and a spontaneous sprout plant, build the journey of a little boy and his imaginary salvation of his terrible situation.
Best Short Film, UNIFEST, Spain, 2007
The hero (El héroe). Dir: Carlos Carrera / 5′ / 1993
In a subway station, a man sees a girl acting strange. He realizes that she may be attempting to commit suicide and tries to stop her, but the girl accuses him of being a molester.
Golden Palm, Cannes Film Festival, 1994
Northern Highway (Carretera del Norte). Dir: Ruben Rojo Aura / 10′ / 2008
In a desertic Mexican highway, a family struggles to survive in extreme poverty by selling animals to the passing drivers.
Best Short Film, International Human Rights Film Festival, Mexico, 2008
No support (Sin sostén). Dir: René Castillo / 4′ / 1998
In a hostile city, an insignificant man decides to take his own life. During his fall into the void, he is rescued and seduced by the superfluous charms of the world of publicity.
Ariel award, Best Animation Short Film, Mexico, 1999
Land and bread (Tierra y pan). Dir: Carlos Armella / 8′ / 2008
Land and bread uses dialogue sparingly, although words are not necessary. In just eight minutes the director explores a heartfelt journey into a forsaken land, where one person’s misfortunes become another’s salvation.
Corto Cortissimo Lion, Venice Film Festival, 2008
ORIGINAL ESSAY
The Crossroads of Mexican Cinema
by Dr German Martínez Martínez
INTERVIEWS WITH THE DIRECTORS:
In collaboration with:
IMCINE (Mexican Film Institute)
RELATED INFORMATION (.pdf)
Bibliography Mexican Cinema (by BFI)
Indicators of the Mexican film industry (by IMCINE)
