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Tinta, Otros ojos, and Entorno a ti Gather Before A Screening of PERFUME DE VIOLETAS

Omar Sosa

During the 24th Morelia International Film Festival (FICM), Tinta, Otros Ojos, and Entorno a ti presented a discussion featuring actresses Ximena Ayala and Nancy Gutiérrez, the leads of Perfume de violetas (2001, dir. Maryse Sistach), alongside Mexican director, producer, and screenwriter Alejandro Pelayo. Following the conversation, the film, directed by Sistach, was screened.

Tinta is a non-profit organization founded in 2020. Its purpose is to foster a participatory society where writers are organized to advocate for their rights as creators.

Otros Ojos is a non-profit initiative that has been operating in Mexico for two years. It is supported by philanthropic organizations, including the Luminate, Nebula, and Meliore foundations, through The Boston Center for Latin America. Its goal is to provide free, accessible guidance and support to screenwriters, production companies, and platforms throughout the creative process.

Meanwhile, Entorno a ti is an organization committed to transforming how individuals and communities in Mexico engage in public dialogue regarding the mounting pressure on natural resources and climate systems.

Opening the discussion, Mexican director and writer Alejandro Andrade noted that these initiatives aim to improve labor rights and working conditions for screenwriters in Mexico, while also continuously expanding their network of partnerships. “We are incredibly grateful to the festival organizers, to Daniela and the entire programming team, for their support in making this event possible,” he added.

Representing Otros Ojos, Andrea Foncerrada expressed her enthusiasm for supporting the strengthening of the screenwriters' community. “Our goal is to assist and support them, offering a fresh perspective whenever needed so they can tell more complex and authentic stories about climate, social justice, democracy, and gender in its broadest sense,” she remarked.

Introducing Entorno a ti, its director, Edgar Moreno, said: “We believe there is no better setting for this than our partnership with Tinta y Otros Ojos, because social change doesn’t happen through arguments alone; it’s something lived out day by day. There is nothing quite like the power of stories to bring us closer to the realities we already inhabit and to inspire us to transform them.”

The discussion was moderated by María René Prudencio, a Bolivian actress and writer for Tinta, who touched upon the screenwriting process: “A film is written many, many times. It begins in solitude before a computer, fueled by one’s own obsessions, but as it makes its journey toward the screen, it is rewritten five hundred times over. It’s rewritten when the director and the cast read it; when the art department begins to envision the spaces; during the editing process; and, finally, the most exciting rewrite of all is the one that each of you performs from your seat in the audience.”

For his part, Alejandro Pelayo noted that, for the Mexican Film Institute (IMCINE), this project proved to be highly revelatory. “When we read José Buil’s script, we knew we had a powerful, heart-wrenching story on our hands—one that depicted a reality on the city’s margins that, at the time, was not being represented in Mexican cinema.” He emphasized that the vision and sensitivity of director Sistach were the decisive factors in their choice to back the film—which was vindicated by time, as the work has since become a true classic.

Addressing the harsh nature of the themes explored in the story, such as gender-based violence, abuse, and precarious living conditions, Prudencio asked the actresses about how they maintained their composure on set, and how they managed to forge such a genuine friendship on screen, despite the hostile environment depicted in the narrative.

Ximena Ayala explained that, following extensive table reads and long, rigorous rehearsals, the most significant factor was the care and support provided to them by the filmmaker. “We truly became very close friends; Nancy would invite me to her place, we’d go out to eat together, and we spent time together off-set—I think that really came across on screen,” the actress shared. She noted that, even during the most difficult or violent scenes, there was always absolute respect and a clear understanding that they were telling a necessary story—one that gives a voice to those living through these realities in silence.

Nancy Gutiérrez agreed that the environment on set was one of great trust, which was vital for her, given that she lacked formal acting training. “Sometimes it didn’t even feel like we were acting; we were simply reacting to what was happening,” she confessed, adding that being on actual locations within the neighborhood and wearing school uniforms completely immersed them in the atmosphere. “Maryse was always like a maternal guide on set; she explained the weight of the story to us, but never let us feel unprotected,” she concluded.

To wrap up the discussion, Prudencio celebrated the fact that this solid support network existed behind the scenes.