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Contemporary Mexican Short Films at the 23rd FICM

Gabriela Martínez

A special program of short films dedicated to established figures in the contemporary national film scene was screened in a packed screening room.

Among those present were personalities such as actresses Kate del Castillo and Yalitza Aparicio, actor Guillermo Villegas, producers Nicolás Celis and Jim Stark, and directors Edgar Baena, Iván Lipkies, and Aristides Mantilla, among many others, all of whom were involved in the teams that produced the works featured in this special program.

Producer, director, and film promoter Juan Pablo Arroyo said he was “very grateful for the platform provided by the film festival. Today I am here as co-producer of the short film El viaje de Luciano.”

He also took the opportunity to thank Dr. Fátima Chávez, Municipal Secretary of Culture, “because without her, this short film could not have been made.”

The program consisted of:

Bump by André Leshé portrays an addict's struggle during the last moments of his life and the consequences on her unborn child.

Arena Roja by Romina Cenisio is set in the red deserts of West Texas, in a Mexican-American community of intergenerational off-roaders that flourishes in the border town of El Paso, until an imminent danger forces them to confront both their relationship with the land and their shared identity.

El viaje de Luciano by Edgar Bahena is the story of Luciano, a new dad who should be happy about the birth of his son, but faces a difficult challenge when the baby is born with serious complications. In this moment of crisis, Luciano meets Angélica, a mysterious woman who guides him on a journey of self-discovery and acceptance. El viaje de Luciano is a moving and revealing story about love, faith, and resilience..

Lucky, Lucky Yume by Selma Cervantes portrays Yume, a dreamy little girl who wants a house full of windows that will let in the light. Her family's reality is harsh and they have few resources to fulfill that desire, but her mother, Abril, ingeniously and imaginatively finds a special way to make that dream come true, filling their world with joy and hope.

Amor chiquito by Iván Lipkies, set in 1940s Mexico, tells the story of little Elena, who discovers love at a young age but is surrounded by hostile adults who do not understand her feelings. Elena finds herself in a dilemma, and with courage and the help of a stranger, she manages to save herself from the punishment waiting for her.

Finally, En la quietud de la noche by Arístides Mantilla. On the Day of the Dead, a 10-year-old Mexican boy eagerly awaits the visit of his deceased grandfather to finally meet him, while facing the scepticism of his parents, who discover that memory transcends life and death.