Skip to main content

Presentation of Cinematográfica Marte's book and screening of The Outsiders in the 15th FICM

The book Cinematográfica Marte: Historia de una empresa fílmica sui géneris, by Rosario Vidal Bonifaz, was launched as part of the program dedicated to the production company, Cinematográfica Marte, followed by the screening of The Outsiders (1967), by Juan Ibañez.

Alejandro Pelayo, director of the Cineteca National, producer Juan Fernando Pérez Gavilán and the author of the book talked about the importance of films produced by Cinematográfica Marte in the context of national cinema.

During the presentation, Juan Fernando Pérez Gavilán said that The Outsiders (1967, dir. Juan Ibáñez), a film produced by Cinematográfica Marte, emerged in resistance against the industrial Mexican cinema that prevailed since for two decades before its release.

"It was the era of cabaret movies and ranch comedies when we decided to make The Outsiders. It occurred to us that it was like a Mexican movie war, we had to fight from the inside of the industry, because if it is the other way around, it usually doesn't work."

Starring Julissa, Enrique Álvarez Félix, Oscar Chavez and Ernesto Gómez Cruz, The Outsiders tells the story of a young upper-class couple escaping a party with the intention of having a romantic rendezvous in an abandoned car. However, the arrival of Captain Gato and his "outsiders" changes the plans for that night. Together, rich and poor, embark on a picturesque night trip through the monuments, cabarets, gas stations, parks, funeral homes and inns of Mexico City.

In addition, the producer presented anecdotes of characters from the culture and the show, who have forged the story of the production house with their work, such as Carlos Monsiváis, who participated in the plot:

"Carlos Monsiváis lived in the corner of the cine Bretaña and his passion for cinema began since he was eight or ten years old, and my dad always let him in to see all the movies, so he was a great connoisseur. One day, years later, he and Carlos Fuentes, screenwriter of the film, began to argue about the real name of the makeup artist of Doña Bárbara (1943, dir. Fernando de Fuentes) and that was how Monsiváis came to the film."

Alejandro Pelayo, Rosario Vidal Bonifaz, Juan Fernando Pérez Gavilán.

Cinematográfica Marte: Historia de una empresa fílmica sui géneris will be on sale from next week at the Educal bookshops.