Film Countries Archives: Mexico

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A woman and man sit closely on the ledge of a barred window. She holds his hand, and they gaze into each other’s eyes.

I Dream In Another Language Sueño en otro idioma

  Ernesto Contreras

  Mexico      2017    

Synopsis

Martín, a young linguist, travels into the jungles of Mexico in hopes of documenting Zikril, a language in peril. The language’s last two surviving speakers, Evaristo and Isauro, haven’t spoken to one another in over 50 years. As he attempts to reconcile the two in order to record their speech, Martín uncovers the heartbreaking history of their bitter feud.

 Spanish with subtitles 
  103 minutes

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CineYouth Program

Genre Breakers: Experimental

  Brazil, France, Mexico, United States     7 shorts | 63 minutes

Synopsis

Films in this program pair captivating visuals with unconventional storytelling. Open your mind to experience the potential of cinema when seven diverse filmmakers push the boundaries of genre.

Please note: Films in this program contain themes, images, and language that may not be suitable for all ages including nudity and violence.

Films

A young Mexican woman lays on the floor wearing a robe and towel on her head, while taking off cucumbers from her eyes

2 FiNgErS uP

Cristina Rojas-Moises | Mexico | Age 22

Campy, colorful, and shot on celluloid, this movie speaks to cycles of appetite and satiation. A creative performance with food and everyday objects that is both humorous and sensual, 2 FiNgErS uP seeks your attention and asks what you crave.

A metal bucket filled with dark liquid and a cut off nose inside sits beside someone's foot

How to Smell Without a Nose

Esther Yun Kong | Brooklyn, New York | Ages 21

A dark yet impactful short about the Korean war, illustrated through the prosecution of a Joseon woman.

A young person in a red dress with cultural jewelry sits in a meditating pose at the center of a black room with an apple.

Moving Room

Gyani Pradhan Wong Ah Sui | Worcester, Massachusetts | Age 22

In this mesmerizing film, Karma, an international high school student from India, adjusts to his new home and host-sibling Alex. The intensity of the transition begins to manifest in surreal changes to their house and Karma is visited by a comforting spirit.

A statue of a feminine saint holding a cross overlaid with an image of a nun and a vibrant green circle in the center.

Avulsion

David Cuevas | Canada, France | Age 21

Captured on Super 8 footage shot during the 75th Cannes Film Festival, this elusive experimental narrative weaves together three women and three stories into an abstract thriller. Images of daily life mix with scripted tableaus and disjointed sound resulting in a piece whose mysteries deepen with detailed observation.

An older woman in a white dress sits beside a hand-made doll house, looking into the camera

How to Cry Without Melting (Como Chorar Sem Derreter)

Giulia Butler | Brazil | Age 21

Elizabeth loses her sight after refusing to cry for years, prompting the odd little girl who lives with her to build a machine that restores her tears.

An older Black woman sits on a chair as her two teen daughters lay their heads on her lap

With a Promise to Love you Deeply

Taylor Wren | Chicago, Illinois | Age 21

This contemporary folktale follows the journey of two sisters, Jupiter and Saturn, as they venture into a world beyond time to retrieve their mother’s spirit.

A feminine face overlaid with the image of a butterfly

Patron Saint Buffalo Bill

Lily McCauley | Chicago, Illinois | Age 21

Using lush, dream-like imagery, filmmaker Lily McCauley inhabits and reclaims the transfeminine villain from Silence of the Lambs, transforming the harmful stereotype into a celebration of “transexual monstrosity.”

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CineYouth Program

Far From Home

  Australia, Bahrain, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, United States     6 shorts | 71 minutes

Synopsis

Offered as a tribute to our roots, these sentimental and tender shorts lovingly consider identity and belonging. Containing stories of migration, disconnection from ancestry, and striving to fit in, this program addresses what it takes to feel at home in a complicated world.

Films in this program contain themes, images, and language that may not be suitable for all ages.

Films

A young Mexican man stands on a balcony surrounded by green fireworks

Don Chingón

Carlos Lerma | Chicago, Illinois | Age 22

A young Mexican immigrant searches his new city for a culinary cure to homesickness.

A teenage black girl stands in the back of a group of white dancers

The Spectacular Quiet

Sierra Buah | Colorado Springs, Colorado | Age 17

In this documentary, a young girl explores the complexity of her bi-racial identity through dance. Facing questions of belonging, self-acceptance, and identity, Sierra navigates growing up as one of few mixed-race people in her predominantly white community.

A married couple lay in bed next to each other not making eye contact

Mixed Signals

Zaid Sater | United Arab Emirates; Bahrain; Saudi Arabia; New York, New York | Age 22

A cross-cultural conversation around Western ideas of dating and love occurs when a married Arab immigrant ventures out on his first online date.

A barber holds a razor blade trimming his clients beard

Moroccan Haircut

Malik Terrab | Arlington, Virginia | Age 22

What do culture and hair have in common? They both have roots. In this clever essay film, a young man visits a barber shop hoping to reconnect with his heritage.

A mother and daughter sit across from each other at their kitchen table with folded hands

Housekeepers

Kaede Miyamura | Australia | Age 22

Translating is a difficult job; translating bad news to your mother is even harder. A daughter of a Japanese Immigrant finds herself in a tight spot in this melancholy film.

A Mexican teenager stands in front of a supermarket smiling

Volador

Miguel Angel Hernandez & Tessa Elizabeth Osborne | Mexico; Grand Rapids, Michigan | Age 19

Eighteen-year-old aspiring photographer Mateo begins to doubt his choice to immigrate to Michigan from Morella as he struggles to establish himself professionally. This charming and humorous narrative follows Mateo and a cast of lovable characters as he seeks guidance from his friends and reflects on the highs and low of following a dream.

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Chicuarotes film still

Chicuarotes

  Gael Garcia Bernal

  Mexico    

Synopsis

In this audacious crime drama from celebrated Mexican actor-turned-director Gael García Bernal (Déficit), lifelong friends Cagalera and Moloteco turn to violence and lawlessness to buy their way out of their hard-scrabble Mexico City neighborhood. Hoping to scrape together enough cash to join a union that holds the promise of steady work, the amateur criminals graduate from petty theft to hostage-taking. But their escapades land the teens in desperate circumstances, both darkly humorous and fraught with danger.

 Spanish with subtitles 
  95 minutes

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The Chambermaid La camarista

  Lila Aviles

  Mexico      2019    

Synopsis

Eve is invisible—as a maid at a high-end Mexico City hotel, it’s her job to stay out of sight. Long hours leave her dreaming of a better life for her family as she attempts to rise above workplace hierarchies. Set entirely within the hermetic confines of the hotel, The Chambermaid is both a deeply moving character study and a frankly observed examination of social class.

 Spanish with subtitles 
  102 minutes

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