08 · 15 · 24

Arturo Castelán y el Festival MIX

Rafael Aviña

Twenty-six years ago, in September 1998, the absence of effective government policies and financial constraints hindered national film production. Interestingly, filmmakers and film students began exploring the potential of a smaller industry based on that former ugly duckling and cannon fodder of our institutions: the short film. In this context, where aspiring filmmakers hone their style, and the new generation that challenges the bureaucratic barriers set by officials is trained, the First Short Film Festival emerged. This festival was heroically promoted by enthusiastic people, whose careers were about to take off to unusual heights, such as Daniela Michel, Enrique Ortiga, Arturo Castelán, Yesika Mena, and others. They made their “last” act of faith for a national cinema that was threatening to disappear and which included short films by young filmmakers who were not yet debuting in feature films such as Javier Solar, Andrés León Becker, Diego Muñoz, Rigoberto Castañeda, Kenya Márquez, Carlos Cuarón, Lucía Gajá, Aarón Fernández y Eva Aridjis, among others.

In June 1996, Arturo Castelán established the now legendary MIX Festival - Cinema and Sexual Diversity. The festival served as an outlet, and to bring visibility to the LGBT+ community, which was facing significant repression during that time, amidst the challenges and concerns of another pandemic: HIV/AIDS. Castelán received support from Edna Campos, who is currently the director of Macabro: Festival Internacional de Horror de CDMX, a festival they co-founded together. The unexpected passing of a young and cherished individual in the industry, like Castelán, known for his simplicity and good humor, came as a shock and deeply saddened many.

It is impossible to separate Arturo from the MIX Festival and its achievements. The event quickly established itself and recently celebrated its 28th anniversary, overcoming obstacles of ignorance and homophobia. The consistency of MIX, a film festival that showcases diverse gender perspectives through film and video, is not only appealing but also commendable and brave.  It aimed to raise awareness among both old and new audiences through non-commercial cinema with innovative languages and concepts, showcased in venues like Cineteca Nacional, Biblioteca de México, Cinematógrafo del Chopo, Cinemanía, and El almacén.

In its early days, Castelán, through MIX, showcased Thom Fitzgerald's Beefcake (1998) a unique blend of archival footage and dramatic action that recovered the work of photographer Bob Mizer of Physique Pictorial magazine. It showed the physical abilities of semi-naked athletes, allowing for hidden readings on the gay and underground culture of American sports in the 1950s. Another notable film was Portraits (1999) by Ricardo Nicolayevski, shot in Mexico and New York between 1982 and 1985, with portraits like Adriana "La pajarita" dancing to a mambo by Dámaso Pérez Prado and a portrait of Scarlet, an intriguing exploration involving contortions, masturbation, skulls, and a plastic doll. Additionally, Todd Haynes' Velvet Goldmine (1998) beautifully captured the spirit of glam rock in the seventies, while Todd Verow's Frisk (1996) sparked controversy with its mix of snuff cinema, serial killers, masochism, pornography, and suspense.

It is impossible to forget Arturo Castelán, a tireless promoter of diversity...