10 · 27 · 23

The 21st FICM Awarded the Best of its Official Selection

The Morelia International Film Festival (FICM) closed its 21st edition with a ceremony at the Teatro Melchor Ocampo in which it awarded the best of its Official Selection.

After intense deliberations, the jury made up of Rodrigo Prieto, Irène Jacob, Giona A. Nazzaro, Marie-Pierre Macia, Brigitte Lacombe, Raul Niño, Michèle Stephenson, Michael Almereyda, Léo Ortuno, Justine Valtier, Jaime E. Manrique, Pável Granados, Fabienne Aguado and Ángeles Castro, chose the best films from among 96 films in competition at the 21st FICM.

The audience also voted for their favorite films for the Audience Award in various sections.

The Impulso Morelia 9 international panel of experts, made up of Carlos Gutiérrez, Cédric Succivalli, Claudia G. Covarrubias, John Cooper, José Tamez, Ralph McKay and Thomas Rosso, gave awards to the projects in post-production that participated in the ninth edition of Impulso Morelia.

Here are the winners of the 21st FICM:

MICHOACAN SHORT FILM SCREENPLAY COMPETITION

The jury for the Michoacán Short Film Screenplay Competition was made up of Pável Granados, General Director of Canal 22; Fabienne Aguado, audiovisual attaché of the French Institute of Latin America (IFAL); and Ángeles Castro, director of the National School of Film Arts (ENAC).

Winner of the Michoacán Short Film Screenplay Competition: Dos o tres cosas que sé de un acuario written by Diego Cortés.

The award consists of a diploma, 30,000 Mexican pesos granted by Cinema Máquina and an award for image post-production for a short film, granted by Meseta Post.

MICHOACAN SECTION

The jury of the Michoacán Section was composed of Pável Granados, General Director of Canal 22; Fabienne Aguado, audiovisual attaché of the French Institute of Latin America (IFAL); and Ángeles Castro, director of the National School of Film Arts (ENAC).

Michoacán Section Special Mention: Does a Snail dream of Home? by Luis Armando Sosa Gil
Ojo for the Michoacán Section: Tan cerca de las nubes, by Manuel Cañibe

The award consists of a diploma, the Ojo sculpture, designed especially for the festival by the outstanding Michoacán artist Javier Marín, an image post-production package for a short film in digital format, sponsored by Cinema Máquina, a camera, optics and lighting and rigging package for up to four days of shooting in the state of Michoacán, sponsored by Elemental Equipo Cinematográfico (does not include salary and travel expenses for operators or travel expenses from Guadalajara-Michoacán-Guadalajara) and 100,000 Mexican pesos.

MEXICAN SHORT FILM SECTION

The jury of the Mexican Short Film Section was composed of Léo Ortuno, member of the Cannes Critics' Week selection committee; Justine Valtier, artistic director of Festival Regard; and Jaime E. Manrique, founder and director of the Bogotá Short Film Festival-BOGOSHORTS.

Special Mention for Mexican Animated Short Film: Camille, by Denise Roldán Alcalá
Special Mention for Mexican Fiction Short Film: Chica de fábrica, by Selma Cervantes
Special Jury Prize sponsored by Renta Imagen: Ha, by María Almendra Castro

The award consists of a diploma and a three-day filming package, with digital capture, with Red One camera, with HS prime lenses. It includes camera crew, mini mobile and plant, as well as insurance.

Ojo for Best Mexican Animated Short Film: Nube, by Christian Arredondo Narváez and Diego Alonso Sánchez de la Barquera Estrada

The award consists of a diploma, the Ojo sculpture designed especially for the festival by the outstanding Michoacán artist Javier Marín, a Sony ZV-E10 camera developed for content creators with the latest in focusing technology, 4k video recording, three-capsule microphone and interchangeable lenses, a 20-hour color correction package, 10 hours of audio mixing in a THX room, dialogue recording and subtitling, sponsored by New Art, and 100,000 Mexican pesos granted by the Federal Ministry of Culture through PROFEST.

Ojo for Best Mexican Documentary Short Film: Africa, by Salvador Santana II

The award consists of a diploma, the Ojo sculpture designed especially for the festival by the outstanding Michoacán artist Javier Marín, a Sony ZV-E10 camera developed for content creators with the latest in focusing technology, 4k video recording, three-capsule microphone and interchangeable lenses, a 20-hour color correction package, 10 hours of audio mixing in a THX room, subtitling and DCP production, sponsored by New Art and 100,000 Mexican pesos sponsored by the Coppel Foundation.

Ojo for Best Mexican Fiction Short Film: Xquipi (Ombligo), by Juan Pablo Villalobos Díaz

The award consists of a diploma, the Ojo sculpture designed especially for the festival by the outstanding Michoacan artist Javier Marín, a Sony ZV-E10 camera developed for content creators with the latest in focusing technology, 4k video recording, three-capsule microphone and interchangeable lenses, a 20-hour color correction package, 10 hours of audio mixing in a THX room, subtitling and DCP production, sponsored by New Art and 100,000 Mexican pesos sponsored by Mundet.

MEXICAN DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM SECTION

The jury for the Mexican Feature Documentary Section was made up of the creative director of Sheffield DocFest, J Raul Niño, distinguished documentary filmmaker Michèle Stephenson, and renowned U.S. filmmaker and producer Michael Almereyda.

Audience Award for Best Mexican Documentary Feature: El eco, by Tatiana Huezo
Ojo Award for Best Mexican Documentary Feature Film: El eco, by Tatiana Huezo

The award consists of a diploma, the Ojo sculpture designed especially for the festival by the outstanding Michoacán artist Javier Marín, a 40-hour color correction package, 20 hours of audio mixing in a THX room, subtitling and DCP production, sponsored by New Art, and 300,000 Mexican pesos sponsored by Fundación Televisa.

MEXICAN FICTION FEATURE FILM SECTION

The jury of the Mexican Fiction Feature Film Section was made up of the extraordinary Mexican cinematographer and director Rodrigo Prieto; the great French actress and current President of the Lumière Institute, Irène Jacob; the artistic director of the Locarno Film Festival, Giona A. Nazzaro; prominent French producer Marie-Pierre Macia; and the renowned photographer Brigitte Lacombe.

Special Mention for Mexican Fiction Feature Film: Colectivo Colmena
Audience Award for Mexican Fiction Feature Film: Tótem, by Lila Avilés
Ojito for Best Actress in a Mexican Fiction Feature Film: Adriana Llabrés, for her work in Todo el silencio

The award consists of a diploma and the sculpture Ojito designed especially for the festival by the outstanding Michoacan artist Javier Marín.

Ojito for Best Actor in a Mexican Fiction Feature Film: Sebastián Rojano, for his work in Todos los incendios

The award consists of a diploma and the sculpture Ojito designed especially for the festival by the outstanding Michoacán artist Javier Marín.

Award for Best Screenplay for a Mexican Fiction Feature Film: Elisa Miller and Daniela Gómez, for Hurricane Season

The award consists of a diploma and 50,000 Mexican pesos.

Ojo for Best Direction of a Mexican Fiction Feature Film: Lila Avilés, for Tótem

The award consists of a diploma, the Ojo sculpture designed especially for the festival by the outstanding Michoacán artist Javier Marín and 130,000 Mexican pesos.

Ojo for Best Mexican Fiction Feature Film: Tótem, by Lila Avilés

The award consists of a diploma, the Ojo sculpture designed especially for the festival by the outstanding Michoacán artist Javier Marín, the Estudios Churubusco Azteca Award for 1,000,000 Mexican pesos in production or post-production services, valid for 36 months (November 2023 - November 2026, this award is given to the majority Mexican producer) and 300,000 Mexican pesos sponsored by Cinépolis.

The awards that were not granted by the jury of the 21st FICM were:

IMPULSO MORELIA 9

The international panel of experts that designated the winning projects was formed by Carlos Gutiérrez, curator and director of Cinema Tropical, a leading organization in the presentation of Latin American cinema in the United States; Cédric Succivalli, film critic and programmer of Giornate degli Autori at the Venice Film Festival and the Red Sea International Film Festival; Claudia G. Covarrubias, producer and director committed to creating films with a social and gender perspective and the current director of production and marketing at Estudios Churubusco Azteca; John Cooper, curator and programmer and director emeritus of the Sundance Film Festival, where he worked for three decades; José Tamez, producer and Salma Hayek’s partner in her production company Ventanarosa, where he also serves as president; Ralph McKay, programmer for museums, archives and festivals since 1976 and consultant for the International Film Festival Rotterdam since 1996; and Thomas Rosso, Program Manager of the Cannes Critics' Week and director of the Next Step Workshop.

Special Mention: Boca vieja, by Yovegami Ascona (Duermevela Audiovisual)
José María Riba Award granted by Cinépolis Distribución and PROFEST 2023, designated by the international panel of experts: La libertad de Fierro, by Santiago Esteinou

The award consists of 250,000 Mexican pesos ($150,000 contributed by Cinépolis and $100,000 contributed by PROFEST 2023) to cover post-production and/or promotion processes and services.

Additionally, this same project will benefit from a promotional campaign of one page of advertising in one of the issues of LatAmcinema.com magazine, and communication advice, with an approximate value of USD$1,500.

Estudios Churubusco Azteca Award, designated by the international panel of experts: Formas de atravesar un territorio, by Gabriela Domínguez Ruvalcaba (Bosquenegro, Estudio Errante)

The award consists of 1,000,000 Mexican pesos in post-production services and THX sound. The support is valid for 24 months and does not include materials, operator's fees or Dolby license.

Estudios Splendor Omnia Award: Los sueños que compartimos, by Valentina Leduc (Salamandra Producciones, S.A. de C.V.)

The award consists of a week of sound mixing at their studios in Tepoztlán, Morelos. The prize is valid for 24 months and does not include technicians' fees, as well as living expenses and operating expenses for the use of rooms, which will be defined at the time.

Estudios Splendor Omnia Award: La libertad de Fierro, by Santiago Esteinou

The award consists of a week of color correction at his studios in Tepoztlán, Morelos. The award is valid for 24 months and does not include technicians' fees, as well as living expenses and operating expenses for the use of rooms, which will be defined at the time.

AWARD FROM THE ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN IN FILM AND TELEVISION IN MEXICO

Award for Best Documentary Feature by a Woman: El eco, by Tatiana Huezo

The award consists of a diploma and La Musa, a sculpture by Mexican artist Elena Somonte, instituted by the Mexican Association of Women in Film and Television.