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Dignifying the "barrio": Leopoldo Aguilar's BEM Y YO at the 22nd FICM

Berenice Andrade

Bem y yo, a Mexican animated film directed by Leopoldo Aguilar, had its premiere at the 22nd Morelia International Film Festival (FICM).

Written by Dariela Pérez, Bem y yo tells the story of Bem, a small lemur who is stolen by exotic animal traffickers and taken to Mexico City, where he meets Irene, a girl who is allergic to everything and never leaves the house. Irene's only contact with the outside world is her uncle Lupillo, the internet and her friends Lola and Bruno. When she meets Bem, her life changes and she finally has a real friend. With the help of her friends, Irene will help Bem return home.

In the Q&A session following the film screening, Leopoldo Aguilar said that the intention was always to create a Mexican film that showed a dignified "barrio" (hood).

On this subject, Dariela Pérez, screenwriter of Bem y yo, commented that they worked hard to ensure that the characters felt familiar, and that the Mexican public would feel identified and represented in the film.

Regarding the depiction of animal trafficking in the movie, the screenwriter stated that the film was also created with the idea of raising awareness concerning respect for animals: “Animals don't bring you luck... unless you hug them!"

Finally, Heriberto Manzanares asked the audience to promote the film by word of mouth and added that the production team is already working on their next animated film.