The Guadalajara Film Festival’s (FICG) prominent LGBTQ+ strand, the Premio Maguey, is marking its 15th year, a milestone they have dubbed Queerciañera, fusing the words queer and quinceañera, Latin America’s hallowed coming-of-age celebration for girls turning 15.
Since it was launched in 2012, the first queer film award to be launched in Mexico and Latin America has grown in stature, establishing itself as one of the festival’s strongest sidebars.
Reflecting on this all-important milestone, its director Pavel Cortes said: “Talking about the impact that the Premio Maguey has had on Guadalajara and the rest of the country might seem rather pretentious. However, its social contribution to the legitimization of sexual diversity and queer culture—both locally and nationally—is undeniable.”
Its impact underscores cinema’s role as a powerful tool for social transformation, he added.
“Unfortunately, it continues to be a very important and necessary award, even though over these 15 years of the Premio Maguey we have witnessed the transformation of the world in relation to sexual diversity—acceptance remains a matter of privilege.”
“Mexico remains an intolerant country toward sexual diversity,” he asserted, “with a significant record of hate crimes and transfemicides.”
Premio Maguey launched at a time when the topic was still taboo in the country, subjected to segregation and marginalization, he said. “Since then, national queer film production has consolidated and, in this edition, we present seven Mexican films out of the 16 that make up our official competition for Best Film, the Jury Prize and Best Performance.”
The 15th edition features a selection of fiction, documentary and short films with stand-outs among the Mexican productions and those focusing on transmasculine parenthood: Sharon Kleinberg’s “I Am Mario (Mexico) and Daniel Ribeiro’s “I Will Miss You” (Brazil) as well as the short film among the special screenings, “Alex,” (Mexico), which follows Alex, a non-binary person, who becomes pregnant and sets out to get an abortion.
Alejandro Amenábar’s Oscar-winning “The Sea Inside” and “On the Road,” David Pablos winner of the Venice Orizzonti Award for Best Film and the Queer Lion Award, are among the special screenings slated for this edition.
FICTION
Eruption (“Erupción”) Pete Ohs, U.S., Poland
A Polish florist and a British tourist spark an unexpected romance through chance encounters and fleeting, magical moments.
‘Eruption’ Courtesy of FICG
I Am Mario (“Soy Mario”) Sharon Kleinberg, Mexico
Mario, a forty-year-old trans taxi driver, faces an unexpected pregnancy that opens the possibility of fulfilling his dream of becoming a father.
I Will Miss You (“Eu vou ter saudades de você “) Daniel Ribeiro, Brazil
After seven years together, Amanda and Caio move in together, but love is not enough. When João enters their lives, their relationship is tested and transformed.
Iván & Hadoum (“Iván & Hadoum”) Ian de la Rosa, Spain
Iván, a trans man working in greenhouse warehouses, falls in love with Hadoum, a Spanish-Moroccan coworker. Against family opposition, they pursue their relationship between greenhouses and seaside landscapes.
Like a Kite (“Feito pipa”) Allan Everton, Brazil
Gugu dreams of becoming a great footballer. Raised freely by his grandmother, he will do whatever it takes to avoid living with his father.
No Dogs Allowed (“No se permiten perros”) Steve Bache, Germany
Gabo, a seemingly ordinary 15-year-old, develops disturbing tendencies and forms a troubling bond with an older man. When the man is arrested, Gabo must decide whether to testify or protect his own dark secret.
‘No Dogs Allowed’ Courtesy of FICG
On the Sea (“En el mar”) Helen Walsh, U.K.
A poetic exploration of masculinity and desire within a remote fishing community of stark and untamed beauty.
Pioneers (“Pioneras”) Marta Díaz de Lope Díaz, Spain
In early 1970s Spain under Franco’s regime, a group of young women defy societal norms to play football, finding an unlikely ally and laying the groundwork for the future of women’s football.
The Circle of Liars (“El círculo de los mentirosos”) Nancy Cruz Orozco, Mexico
Cecilia arrives in the city aspiring to be a writer and meets Nicolás and Aristeo, two young poets who claim to be the founders and sole members of an underground ultraist movement.
Wanted (“Se busca”) Kenya Márquez, Mexico
René, a lonely teenager, runs away from home to Ciudad Juárez, where an inner calling leads her on a journey of self-discovery.
What They Leave Us (“Lo que nos van dejando”) Issa García Ascot, Mexico
A biologist is forced to travel to the jungle, where she confronts deeply buried memories from her past.
DOCUMENTARY
“Cuba Street” (“Calle Cuba”) Vanessa Batista, Chile, Cuba, Mexico
Four women, one street and an entire country pulsing between invisible wounds and the dream of resistance
“I Have Two Dads” (“Yo tengo dos papás”) Edgar Reyes, Mexico
The story of Santiago: from abandonment to the embrace that transforms his destiny
“Mickey” (“Mickey”) Dano García, Mexico
A decade-long collage by two friends becomes a film exploring Mickey’s self-discovery and the journeys of those who grew up with her
‘Mickey’ Courtesy of FICG
“Our Body is a Star that Expands” (“Nuestro cuerpo es una estrella que se expande”) Semillites Hernández Velasco, Tania Hernández Velasco, Mexico
Tania and her brother Semillites confront childhood rejection and question their bodies through collage, animation, dance and intimate documentary, creating a sensorial exploration of identity
“Shelter” (“Cobijo”) Adrián Silvestre, Spain
Cecilia joins a youth poetry movement in the city that becomes corrupted by envy as she studies to become a writer
SPECIAL SCREENINGS
“Alex” Natalia Bermúdez, Mexico
Alex, a non-binary person, becomes pregnant and embarks on a journey to have an abortion with the support of their aunt Salome, a traditional doctor
“A Teacher’s Gift” Artur Ribeiro, United Kingdom, India
In London, a Hindi teacher torn between duty and desire forms an unexpected bond that leads him to India
“Flowers” (“Flores”) Job Samaniego Rivera, Mexico
After a magical encounter with a flower, Moisés and his daughter Samy embark on a journey of discovery and transformation Through an ancient tale seen through Samy’s eyes, a colorful world emerges, allowing Moisés to accept himself and finally see Samy for who she truly is
“Lemebel” (“Lemebel”) Joanna Reposi Garibaldi, Mexico
The story of writer and visual artist Pedro Lemebel, from the founding of the collective Las Yeguas del Apocalipsis during the dictatorship to his death in 2015 from cancer
“On the Road” (“En el camino”) David Pablos, Mexico
A drifter who sleeps with truck drivers meets a reserved driver and joins him transporting goods in northern Mexico As they grow closer on the road, the drifter’s past threatens them both
“The Sea Inside” (“Mar adentro”) Alejandro Amenábar, Spain, France, Italy
A portrait starring Javier Bardem of Spaniard Ramón Sampedro, who fought for 30 years for euthanasia and his own right to die. An Academy Award Foreign-Language Feature winner.
“When You Get Home” (“Cuando llegue a casa”) Edgar Adrián, Mexico
A teenager in Guadalajara explores identity between friendship and desire. During temple festivals, this search puts their relationship with their grandmother at risk.
