08 · 22 · 17

XV anniversary, 15 questions to Matías Meyer

In 2004, a 25-year-old Matías Meyer was granted the Fiction Short Award at the second edition of the Morelia International Film Festival (FICM), thanks to his first film The Passenger. Eleven years later, with five films under his belt, four of them presented at FICM, and many festivals around the world visited, he won the Mexican Feature Film Award for his film Yo, in the thirteenth edition of the festival.

To commemorate FICM’s 15th anniversary, Matías Meyer answers 15 questions.

1. When was the first time you went to the FICM?

In 2004.

2. How many editions of FICM have you attended?

Six.

3. What is your favorite FICM image?

The atmosphere of the arches of the Aqueduct of Morelia during the festival.

4. What kind of movies do you like to see at FICM?

Auteur cinema.

5. Name a movie you have seen at FICM that marked you as a viewer.

Son of Saul (2015, dir. László Nemes)

6. What is your favorite place at the movie theatre? How close to the screen do you like to be?

In the middle and in the middle.

7. What attracts you to watch a movie? (The director, the poster, the theme, the synopsis, a recommendation, an award, etc.)

A recommendation, the director, an award.

8. What is your favorite place in Morelia?

Every place where the festival happens, the Historic Center.

9. Why do you like to attend FICM?

Because it is exciting to share and release our films in such a beautiful city, and because it is a celebration that brings together the great family of Mexican cinema.

10. What personalities have you met at FICM?

Isabelle Huppert [Special Guest at 13th FICM].

11. Name a classic Mexican movie that you like a lot.

This Strange Passion (1952, dir. Luis Buñuel).

12. Name a contemporary Mexican movie that you like a lot.

Battle in Heaven (2005, dir. Carlos Reygadas)

13. What movies have you presented at FICM?

The Passenger (2004), Green (2006), Wadley (2008), The Cramp (2009), The Last Christeros (2011) and Yo (2015).

14. Share a special memory of FICM.

In 2004, Eugenio Polgovsky and I went together to the festival. We were CCC students. We stayed at Eugenio's aunt's house. It was the first time we were showing a movie in a festival. One day before the festival ended, we were together when we received a cell phone call: we were both asked to attend the closing ceremony the next day. That night we went to sleep very excited and yes, we both won the next night! Eugenio won the Eye for Best Documentary for Tropic of Cancer and I won the Eye for Best Fiction Short Film for The Passenger.

15. What do you wish for FICM on its fifteenth anniversary?

I wish FICM a great fifteen-year party and many, many more years of good cinema and big audiences.