09 · 02 · 14

The 12th FICM to Pay Tribute to Composer Chucho Monge

We are pleased to announce that the 12th FICM will pay tribute to Michoacán composer Jesús Monge Ramírez, better known as Chucho Monge. The music of this great composer originally from Morelia has played an important role in developing the cultural identity of our country and it is an honor for FICM to pay homage to him.

The writer of iconic songs like “México lindo y querido”, “Cartas marcadas”, “La feria de las flores”, “No hay derecho”, “Pá qué me sirve la vida” and “Pobre corazón”, among many others, Chucho Monge has left an indelible mark on our collective imagination. He also had a close relationship with cinema: His name appears in the credits of some 135 Mexican and foreign films.

In a brief interview with FICM, Monge’s daughter, Sandra Monge Hernández, said, “This tribute means a lot to my family because it will be in his hometown and in the context of a major international festival. Many Morelians still don’t know him and with this tribute many people in his hometown and other parts of the country and world will know that Chucho Monge is the composer of “México lindo y querido,” considered a second national anthem. On the other hand, the most important thing for us is that my father loved his hometown, even though he moved to Mexico City when he was very young, but he traveled very often to Morelia. In the last interview that he gave shortly before his death, he said if he were to be born again he would like to be born in Morelia.”

She also spoke about her father’s relationship with cinema: “It was a very close relationship. Between the years 1939 and 1943, my father composed songs for films and participated in some of them like: Eterna mártir (1937, Juan Orol), Los bohemios (1935, Rafael E. Portas) and Cuando los hijos se van (1941, Juan Bustillo Oro). Later, he continued to do so when he was asked.

In addition, films were made for his songs, such as: Cartas marcadas (1948, René Cardona), Pobre corazón (1950, José Díaz Morales), México lindo y querido (1961, Julio Bracho), La feria de las flores (1943, José Benavides son), Pa' que me sirve la vida (1961, Jaime Salvador). To date, his songs are in several films, the latest being Guten tag Ramón (2013, Jorge Ramírez Suárez), in which “México lindo y querido” is sung by Jorge Negrete.”

In previous years, FICM has paid tribute to José Rubén Romero, José Ortiz Ramos, Miguel Contreras Torres, Fernando Méndez, the Alva Brothers, Ezequiel Carrasco, Stella Inda, Lilia Prado, Fanny Cano, Julio Alemán and Damián Alcázar.

In the coming days, the 12th FICM spot, with the theme song "México lindo y querido" by Chucho Monge, will be released. The tribute to the composer will be followed by a photo gallery that will be published on this web page and a screening of the film Canta y no llores (1949) by Alfonso Patiño Gómez.