10 · 17 · 26

The Book ESCRITORAS PIONERAS DEL CINE SONORO EN MÉXICO: JANET ALCORIZA Was Presented at the 24th FICM

Katia Barragán

As part of the 24th Morelia International Film Festival (FICM), a book presentation was held for Escritoras pioneras del cine sonoro en México: Janet Alcoriza, a research project affiliated with the Institute of Philological Research at UNAM.

The presentation featured writers Maricruz Castro Ricalde (Tecnológico de Monterrey), Leonor García Millé (UNAM), and Diego Sheinbaum Lerner (UNAM), who collaborated on the book. The session was also attended by researcher James Ramey (UAM-C), who served as moderator for the Q&A portion of the event.

The event took place at the auditorium of the Centro Cultural Clavijero.

Castro Ricalde opened the presentation with an introductory reading from the book, in which he highlighted the unique aspects of Janet Alcoriza’s life, her career in the audiovisual industry, and her significant contributions to screenwriting and film storytelling. He specifically noted that “Janet Alcoriza ranks among the leading screenwriters in the history of Mexican cinema, regardless of genre.”

Leonora began her remarks by sharing a multifaceted view of Janet’s life through what she called “different windows into her world.” She offered a historical perspective and a genuine insight into the various roles and characters Janet portrayed—the very ones that earned her the reputation that precedes her today and for which she is now recognized.

García Millé added, “It’s interesting to identify different names and various characters within the same woman,” showing us the narrative artistry behind the story Janet created about herself throughout the film.

Sheinbaum Lerner, in turn, kicked off his presentation by raising the question: “How did female writers and the Mexican film industry understand the concept of a film screenplay?” He answered this by sharing his perspective on Janet Alcoriza’s screenwriting and co-written scripts, which he titled "Escribir con el cuerpo" (Writing With the Body).

The presentation concluded with a brief Q&A session in which attendees expressed their appreciation for the writers’ research, their participation in the festival, and the importance of recognizing and making space for such initiatives.

Finally, James Ramey closed the session by reminding us that FICM’s mission is, precisely, to support cinema in all its aspects, to give it its rightful place and historical recognition, and to motivate and encourage more people to take an interest in and participate in these venues for film promotion. But not before thanking the writers and the attendees.