10 · 20 · 26 The Cannes Film Festival's Critics' Week at the 24th FICM Share with twitter Share with facebook Share with mail Copy to clipboard In keeping with tradition, a selection of films screened at the Cannes Film Festival’s Critics’ Week is part of the program for the 24th Morelia International Film Festival (FICM).In this edition, the Critics’ Week program at the 24th FICM includes eight feature films and one short film, presented by Ava Cahen, General Delegate of Critics’ Week. Daniela Michel, Ava Cahen A GIRL UNKNOWN, A Look at Abandoned Girls in ChinaAva Cahen and Daniela Michel, founder and director of FICM, presented A Girl Unknown, a feature film by Zou Jing that follows a Chinese girl as she grows up—from age 6 to 18—in three different families, each of which gives her a new name and a different life. As she searches for a sense of belonging and the chance to find love, she must confront the weight of her past and the uncertainty of her future, until she finds her own path.During the presentation, Daniela Michel highlighted the importance of Critics’ Week for its commitment to recognizing first and second films, as well as for the role it has played in the careers of various Mexican filmmakers.Cahen described A Girl Unknown as “a powerful and moving contemporary drama that breaks the silence surrounding the fate of girls abandoned in China between the 1980s and the 2000s.”The delegate also underscored the international importance of Critics’ Week and its work in promoting cinema around the world, with FICM serving as one of its most important venues for engaging with Mexican audiences. GOODBYE CRUEL WORLD by Félix de Givry, A Tender and Poetic DebutAs part of the 24th edition of the Morelia International Film Festival (FICM), the debut feature film by French director Félix de Givry, Goodbye Cruel World, was presented. It had its world premiere at the 63rd Critics' Week of the Cannes Film Festival, where it was responsible for closing that section. The screening featured a special appearance by Ava Cahen, general delegate of Critics' Week.Otto Vidal, a 14-year-old teenager fed up with the bullying and ridicule he suffers at school, writes farewell letters to his family and classmates to then survive a suicide attempt.The film was described by Cahen as "a debut feature full of poetry and tenderness." The film features in its cast the young actor Milo Machado-Greiner, known for his role in Anatomy of a Fall by Justine Triet, as well as the actress Jane Beever, who is considered a rising star of French cinema.Director Félix de Givry expressed his gratitude for being part of the festival's program: "I'm very happy to be here with you, especially considering the presence of such great Mexican stars. Thank you so much for being here. I want to thank Ava and Critics' Week, which premiered my film. Thank you to them and thank you to the Morelia Film Festival." Marine Atlan's LA GRADIVA Winner of the Grand Prix at the Cannes Critics' WeekLa Gradiva (2026), directed by French filmmaker Marine Atlan, was screened at the 24th Morelia International Film Festival (FICM) as part of the selection of films from the Critics' Week of the Cannes Film Festival presented in Morelia this year. The film won the Grand Prize in this parallel section of the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for both the Caméra d’Or and the Queer Palm.The story follows a group of French high school students and their teacher during a trip to Naples and the ruins of Pompeii, where they explore the archaeological past surrounding Mount Vesuvius. Along the way, the young people experience a mix of anxiety and euphoria as their high school graduation approaches.The presentation was given by programmer Sebastián Blayac, and Ava Cahen, general delegate of the Cannes Critics' Week.Cahen acknowledged the director’s work—noting that this is her first feature film—and highlighted the positive reception the movie has received. “It captured everyone’s heart,” she said.He also noted that the members of the jury committee were moved by the proposal: "It's so funny it practically bursts off the screen," he said.Describing the film as a kind of “love at first sight” for those who had the chance to see it, Cahen added: “We were completely struck by its beauty, its *mise-en-scène*, its dramaturgy, and the performances of the cast—some of whom were acting for the very first time.”Finally, she invited the audience to open their hearts and see the film as a reflection on the traces we leave behind over time, while also encouraging them to enjoy the screening and celebrate it together. DUA Arrives at FICM as Part of Their Partnership with Cannes Critics' WeekA special screening of Dua, the second feature film by Kosovan filmmaker Blerta Basholli, was held during the 24th edition of the Morelia International Film Festival (FICM). The event was attended by Daniela Michel, founder and director of the festival, and Ava Cahen, general delegate of Critics' Week. The screening reaffirmed the collaborative ties between the two film festivals—a partnership that fosters emerging talent and promotes cultural exchange between Mexico and the international film landscape.The event highlighted the close collaboration between the two platforms—a relationship rooted in generosity that, over the years, has helped nurture significant talent. As part of this cultural exchange, it was noted that short films selected during the FICM will have the opportunity to be included in a special program at the upcoming edition of Critics' Week in Cannes.The arrival of Dua at FICM sets a significant precedent, as it is the first Kosovan film in history to be selected for the Critics' Week.The work transports the viewer to the city of Pristina during the 1990s, a turbulent period in which ethnic conflicts and political tensions with the Serbian power intensified in the region. With an intimate, direct, and profoundly humanistic perspective, the director explores how a young woman constructs and shapes her identity within an environment that is crumbling around her.Blerta Basholli, who grew up in Kosovo before pursuing film studies in the United States, had already gained international recognition with her debut feature, Hive (2021)—a film that garnered multiple awards at the Sundance Film Festival.With Dua, the filmmaker further solidifies her cinematic vision. The film is also notable for the stunning performance of 13-year-old newcomer Pineah Matoshi, as well as for its narrative strength—a quality that earned it the prestigious SACD Award for Best Screenplay at the Cannes Critics' Week. Screening of TIN CASTLE, Winner of the L'œil d'or at the Last Cannes Film FestivalThe special program, in collaboration with the Cannes Film Festival’s Critics' Week, continued during the 24th Morelia International Film Festival with a screening of Tin Castle, the second feature film by French-Irish director Alexander Murphy. The screening was presented by Ava Cahen, General Delegate of Critics' Week, and Chloë Roddick, a programmer for the Morelia International Film Festival (FICM).“Documentary cinema is, more than ever, a window open to the world, offering a voice to those who have been silenced or stigmatized,” remarked Cahen regarding the documentary that follows the O’Reilly family.Murphy followed this family for five years, capturing the pure, unadulterated love they share. “It is a documentary film of extraordinary beauty and absolute humanity,” Cahen added. She also highlighted the meticulous composition of the imagery in Tin Castle—a quality stemming from the director’s background as a photographer.The film serves as an ode to the Travellers, a historically nomadic ethnic minority group originating from Ireland. Murphy seeks to dismantle the stereotypes that have long been attached to this community.Tin Castle is a documentary about the O’Reillys, who live in a dilapidated caravan abandoned in the middle of the countryside. The parents and their ten children weather the storms within their “tin castle”—heirs to a way of life that is nearing its end. Facing the threat of eviction, their fragile existence is shaken, yet they remain steadfast in their traditions. The children laugh, the dogs bark, and the caravan still stands—but for how much longer?The documentary was awarded the L’Œil d’or at the Cannes Film Festival—a prize recognizing the best documentary across all festival sections, presented by the Société Civile des Auteurs Multimédia (LaScam) in partnership with the festival itself. VIVA, Aina Clotet First Feature Film Screened at the 24th FICMWith the presence of Ava Cahen, general delegate of the Cannes Critics' Week, the film Viva, by Aina Clotet, was screened on the sixth day of activities of the 24th Morelia International Film Festival (FICM).Viva is a Spanish production and tells the story of Nora, a 40-year-old woman who, after facing death, is overcome by an overwhelming need to feel alive. She immerses herself in passionate relationships with two very different men—Tom and Max—whose contrasting personalities mirror Nora’s own internal conflict. But when none of them manage to fill that void, she is forced to face the truth and will have to confront a deeper fear.The film marks Clotet’s feature directorial debut; she also plays the lead role. The director received the Louis Roederer Foundation Revelation Award, presented during the most recent Critics’ Week.“She is a filmmaker to keep an eye on,” Cahen remarked before the screening began. Furthermore, she spoke about Clotet’s evolution and the significant step forward this film represents, following a long career in front of the camera—a trajectory that also saw Clotet co-found the production company Funicular Films in 2021, alongside her brother Marc Clotet, Marta Baldó, and Jan Andreu.
