Not long after winning multiple Oscars for “The Shape of Water,” Guillermo del Toro visited his hometown of Guadalajara, Mexico, where he discussed ways to support the local industry.
Aside from launching two programs for Mexican animation talent to attend either the world-class Gobelins School in Paris through an Animexico scholarship or any film school around the world with the Beca Jenkins-Del Toro scholarship, he brought his celebrated “Monsters” collection of paintings, drawings, maquettes and artifacts to his beloved city. Most importantly, he founded animation studio Taller del Chucho, with his alma mater, the University of Guadalajara, as the lead investor.
He chose seven people with extensive experience in animation — Rita Basulto, Sofía Carrillo, Karla Castañeda, René Castillo, León Fernández, Luis Téllez and Juan Medina — to help transform the Taller del Chucho into a world-class studio, train a new generation of talent and develop IP.
With this move, he came...
Aside from launching two programs for Mexican animation talent to attend either the world-class Gobelins School in Paris through an Animexico scholarship or any film school around the world with the Beca Jenkins-Del Toro scholarship, he brought his celebrated “Monsters” collection of paintings, drawings, maquettes and artifacts to his beloved city. Most importantly, he founded animation studio Taller del Chucho, with his alma mater, the University of Guadalajara, as the lead investor.
He chose seven people with extensive experience in animation — Rita Basulto, Sofía Carrillo, Karla Castañeda, René Castillo, León Fernández, Luis Téllez and Juan Medina — to help transform the Taller del Chucho into a world-class studio, train a new generation of talent and develop IP.
With this move, he came...
- 1/10/2023
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety Film + TV
Ficg in La Lineup Includes U.S. and L.A. Premieres of Some the Best Latin American Films of the Year
The Guadalajara International Film Festival in Los Angeles (Ficg in La) - presented by the University of Guadalajara Foundation in USA and Conaculta has announced its lineup. "Messi" directed by Álex de la Iglesia, will be the Opening Night film for the 2015 Festival. This documentary portrays today’s greatest soccer player who at age 11 ran the risk of seeing his career ending before it started. With informal interviews, re-enactments, and spectacular footage of Messi’s legendary exploits, this film tells the incredible, true story of his rise to glory.
The 2015 Ficg in La, which returns to the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood for its fifth year and runs from Thursday, August 27 to Sunday, August 30, brings the best of contemporary Mexican and Latin American cinema to Los Angeles, and is an extension of the Guadalajara International Film Festival.
Featuring outstanding and award-winning titles from FICG30, which ran from March 6-15, 2015 in Guadalajara, Ficg in La will offer the premiere of other titles that have emerged in the world of cinema throughout the year to great critical acclaim.
The aim of the festival is to increase access and visibility of Mexican and Latin American cinema in the U.S., facilitating the exchange of ideas through stories and issues of cultural and social relevance, create a space for collaboration between filmmakers, and strengthen relations between the film industry in Mexico and the U.S.
Ficg in La includes film screenings followed by Q&As with filmmakers and talent, as well as galas, panels and special award recognitions to Latin American and U.S. Latino artists.
“Ficg in La 2015 represents the culmination of five years of continuous dedication and passion to further the Latino arts and cinema in the U.S. What was once a tiny three-day showcase of Latino and Ibero-American cinema, is now a lively, eventful film festival, filled with industry events, work-in-progress competitions, family-oriented programs and panel discussions. Los Angeles is the perfect backdrop for Ficg in La to thrive, as it is a patchwork of so many different cultures and communities from across Latin America; however, we hope that our audience is as diverse as the city itself, because many of these stories universally relate to communities of all backgrounds,” said Hebe Tabachnik, Director and Producer of Ficg in La.
“In five years, the Guadalajara International Film Festival in Los Angeles (Ficg in La), has aimed to promote the Mexican and Latin American cinema so that people from elsewhere can enjoy and appreciate the great productions that have been made in Ibero-America; and likewise we have done everything possible to make filmmakers from the Us and Canada get interested in addressing Latino themes and help them honing their skills to provide stronger ground for their projects,”said Iván Trujillo Bolio, Director of Ficg.
Among the celebrities who have accompanied us in previous editions are: Carlos Cuarón, Edward James Olmos, Sergio Arau, Diana Bracho, Alfonso Arau, Kate del Castillo, Martha Higareda, Beto Cuevas, Irene Azuela, Dulce Maria, Carmen Salinas and Jay Hernandez.
Read More: LatinoBuzz: Duo Ben Odell and Eugenio Derbez of 3Pas Studios
Eugenio Derbez will receive the Tree of Life award in representation of the Derbez dynasty. Oscar winner Eugenio Caballero (Best Art Direction, "Pan's Labyrinth"), Ofelia Medina (Mexican actress), Josep Parera (Entertainment Editor La Opinion) and Lpb (Latino Public Broadcasting) will also receive the festival’s Tree of Life Award for their contributions to Mexican, Latino and Ibero-American culture. Previous recipients include Demián Bichir (actor), Juan Carlos Arciniegas (CNN en Espanol), Fernando Luján (actor), Rubén Luengas (journalist), Gabriel Beristain (Director of Photography) and Emilio Kauderer (Music Composer).
Ficg in La continues to support Latino and Ibero-American films with Guadalajara Construye in Los Angeles 2 and DocuLab.2 Los Angeles by selecting six projects from filmmakers seeking post-production funds. The films will be screened for jury members, sponsors and film industry professionals. The winners will be announced on Friday August 28.
In addition, the winning projects in each competition will automatically qualify to be considered for Guadalajara Construye 10 or DocuLab.8 Guadalajara, or for the Ibero-American Competitions of the next edition of the Guadalajara International Film Festival (FICG31) – March 4 - 13, 2016.
To reaffirm the social mission of Ficg and the University of Guadalajara Foundation in USA, Ficg in La will donate again all of its proceeds to a charitable cause. We will announce soon the recipient of this year’s fundraising effort.
13 Feature and documentary films and 12 short films will be showcased in this year’s festival
Opening Night Gala – August 28, 2015
"Messi" Dir. Álex de la Iglesia (Spain, 2014, L.A. Premiere)
Closing Night Gala – August 30, 2015
"Ciudad Delirio," Dir. Chus Gutiérrez (Colombia, 2014, 100 min., L.A. Premiere)
Special Events:
• Kids Gala: "El Jeremías" (Jeremy) Dir. Anwar Safa (Mexico, 2015, Us Premiere)
• Maguey (Lgbt) Gala: "Made in Bangkok" Dir. Flavio Florencio (México – Alemania, 2015, Us Premiere)
• Art, Health & Healing Special Screening: "Juanicas"
Dir. Karina García Casanova (Mexico – Canada, 2015, Us Premiere)
and "La Teta de Botero," Dir. Humberto Busto, Mexico (short film)
• Human Rights Special Screening: "La Prenda" (The Pawn)
Dir. Jean-Cosme Delaloye (Guatemala – Suiza, 2014, Sneak Preview) in Association with the Mill Valley Film Festival.
• Free Screening: "La Once" (Tea Time) –Dir. Maite Alberti (Chile, 2014)
Other Feature Films
"El Patrón, Radiografía de un Crimen" (The Boss, Anatomy Of A Crime)
Dir. Sebastián Schindel (Argentina, 2014, L.A. Premiere)
HBO Latino presents – Heroes Cotidianos – “El cometa”
Dir. Alejandra Sánchez (Mexico, 2014, Sneak Preview)
"Ixcanul" Dir. Jayro Bustamante (Guatemala - France, 2015, Sneak Preview)
"Loreak" (Flowers) Dir. Jon Garaño, José Mari Goenaga (Spain, 2014, L.A. Premiere)
"Pocha" (Manifest Destiny) Dir. Michael Dwyer (USA – Mexico, 2015)
"Que Viva la Música" (Liveforever)
Dir. Carlos Moreno (Colombia -Mexico, 2015, L.A Premiere)
Short Films
Mexican Animated Shorts Showcase & Panel (in chronological order)
"Como preparar un sandwich" (How to Prepare a Sandwich) Dir. Rigo Mora
"Hasta Los Huesos" (Down to the Bones) Dir. René Castillo
"Jacinta" Dir. Karla Castañeda
"Jaulas" (Cages) Dir. Juan José Medina
"Prita Noire" (Black Doll) Dir. Sofía Carrillo
"La Casa Triste" (The Sad House) Dir. Sofia Carrillo
"La Noria" ( The Waterwheel) Dir. Karla Castaneda
"Lluvia en los Ojos" (Rain in the Eyes) Dir. Rita Basulto
"Zimbo" (Zimbo) Dir. Rita Basulto & Juan Jose Medina
Shorts Before Features
"Ella" (Her) Dir. Ximena Urrutia (Mexico, 2014, 23 min)
"Mestizo," Dir. Talon Gonzalez (USA, 2014, 10 min.)
"La Teta de Botero," Dir. Humberto Busto (Mexico, 2015, 18 min., Us Premiere)
The screening of the selected work-in-progress films will be for industry accredited to the festival. These screenings are not open to the general public or member of the press.
Guadalajara Construye in Los Angeles 2
• "Angelica," Dir. Marisol Gómez-Mouakad, Puerto Rico/USA
• "Dementia" (Demencia), Dir. Jose Luís Valenzuela, Mexico/USA
• "Lupe under the Sun" (Lupe bajo el sol), Dir. Rodrigo Reyes, Mexico/USA
DocuLab.2 Los Angeles
• "No Dresscode Required" (Etiqueta no rigurosa), Dir. Cristina Herrera Borquez, Mexico/USA
• "Looking at the Stars" (Ol" ando pras estrelas), Dir. Alexandre Peralta, Nicaragua/Brazil/USA
• "Omar & Gloria" (Omar y Gloria), Dir. Jimmy Cohen, Mexico/Canada
Ficg in La is presented by the University of Guadalajara Foundation in USA and Conaculta, with Principal Sponsors the University of Guadalajara, the Guadalajara International Film Festival, the Institute of Cinema Mexico (Imcine), Univision and La Opinion.
The 2015 Ficg in La, which returns to the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood for its fifth year and runs from Thursday, August 27 to Sunday, August 30, brings the best of contemporary Mexican and Latin American cinema to Los Angeles, and is an extension of the Guadalajara International Film Festival.
Featuring outstanding and award-winning titles from FICG30, which ran from March 6-15, 2015 in Guadalajara, Ficg in La will offer the premiere of other titles that have emerged in the world of cinema throughout the year to great critical acclaim.
The aim of the festival is to increase access and visibility of Mexican and Latin American cinema in the U.S., facilitating the exchange of ideas through stories and issues of cultural and social relevance, create a space for collaboration between filmmakers, and strengthen relations between the film industry in Mexico and the U.S.
Ficg in La includes film screenings followed by Q&As with filmmakers and talent, as well as galas, panels and special award recognitions to Latin American and U.S. Latino artists.
“Ficg in La 2015 represents the culmination of five years of continuous dedication and passion to further the Latino arts and cinema in the U.S. What was once a tiny three-day showcase of Latino and Ibero-American cinema, is now a lively, eventful film festival, filled with industry events, work-in-progress competitions, family-oriented programs and panel discussions. Los Angeles is the perfect backdrop for Ficg in La to thrive, as it is a patchwork of so many different cultures and communities from across Latin America; however, we hope that our audience is as diverse as the city itself, because many of these stories universally relate to communities of all backgrounds,” said Hebe Tabachnik, Director and Producer of Ficg in La.
“In five years, the Guadalajara International Film Festival in Los Angeles (Ficg in La), has aimed to promote the Mexican and Latin American cinema so that people from elsewhere can enjoy and appreciate the great productions that have been made in Ibero-America; and likewise we have done everything possible to make filmmakers from the Us and Canada get interested in addressing Latino themes and help them honing their skills to provide stronger ground for their projects,”said Iván Trujillo Bolio, Director of Ficg.
Among the celebrities who have accompanied us in previous editions are: Carlos Cuarón, Edward James Olmos, Sergio Arau, Diana Bracho, Alfonso Arau, Kate del Castillo, Martha Higareda, Beto Cuevas, Irene Azuela, Dulce Maria, Carmen Salinas and Jay Hernandez.
Read More: LatinoBuzz: Duo Ben Odell and Eugenio Derbez of 3Pas Studios
Eugenio Derbez will receive the Tree of Life award in representation of the Derbez dynasty. Oscar winner Eugenio Caballero (Best Art Direction, "Pan's Labyrinth"), Ofelia Medina (Mexican actress), Josep Parera (Entertainment Editor La Opinion) and Lpb (Latino Public Broadcasting) will also receive the festival’s Tree of Life Award for their contributions to Mexican, Latino and Ibero-American culture. Previous recipients include Demián Bichir (actor), Juan Carlos Arciniegas (CNN en Espanol), Fernando Luján (actor), Rubén Luengas (journalist), Gabriel Beristain (Director of Photography) and Emilio Kauderer (Music Composer).
Ficg in La continues to support Latino and Ibero-American films with Guadalajara Construye in Los Angeles 2 and DocuLab.2 Los Angeles by selecting six projects from filmmakers seeking post-production funds. The films will be screened for jury members, sponsors and film industry professionals. The winners will be announced on Friday August 28.
In addition, the winning projects in each competition will automatically qualify to be considered for Guadalajara Construye 10 or DocuLab.8 Guadalajara, or for the Ibero-American Competitions of the next edition of the Guadalajara International Film Festival (FICG31) – March 4 - 13, 2016.
To reaffirm the social mission of Ficg and the University of Guadalajara Foundation in USA, Ficg in La will donate again all of its proceeds to a charitable cause. We will announce soon the recipient of this year’s fundraising effort.
13 Feature and documentary films and 12 short films will be showcased in this year’s festival
Opening Night Gala – August 28, 2015
"Messi" Dir. Álex de la Iglesia (Spain, 2014, L.A. Premiere)
Closing Night Gala – August 30, 2015
"Ciudad Delirio," Dir. Chus Gutiérrez (Colombia, 2014, 100 min., L.A. Premiere)
Special Events:
• Kids Gala: "El Jeremías" (Jeremy) Dir. Anwar Safa (Mexico, 2015, Us Premiere)
• Maguey (Lgbt) Gala: "Made in Bangkok" Dir. Flavio Florencio (México – Alemania, 2015, Us Premiere)
• Art, Health & Healing Special Screening: "Juanicas"
Dir. Karina García Casanova (Mexico – Canada, 2015, Us Premiere)
and "La Teta de Botero," Dir. Humberto Busto, Mexico (short film)
• Human Rights Special Screening: "La Prenda" (The Pawn)
Dir. Jean-Cosme Delaloye (Guatemala – Suiza, 2014, Sneak Preview) in Association with the Mill Valley Film Festival.
• Free Screening: "La Once" (Tea Time) –Dir. Maite Alberti (Chile, 2014)
Other Feature Films
"El Patrón, Radiografía de un Crimen" (The Boss, Anatomy Of A Crime)
Dir. Sebastián Schindel (Argentina, 2014, L.A. Premiere)
HBO Latino presents – Heroes Cotidianos – “El cometa”
Dir. Alejandra Sánchez (Mexico, 2014, Sneak Preview)
"Ixcanul" Dir. Jayro Bustamante (Guatemala - France, 2015, Sneak Preview)
"Loreak" (Flowers) Dir. Jon Garaño, José Mari Goenaga (Spain, 2014, L.A. Premiere)
"Pocha" (Manifest Destiny) Dir. Michael Dwyer (USA – Mexico, 2015)
"Que Viva la Música" (Liveforever)
Dir. Carlos Moreno (Colombia -Mexico, 2015, L.A Premiere)
Short Films
Mexican Animated Shorts Showcase & Panel (in chronological order)
"Como preparar un sandwich" (How to Prepare a Sandwich) Dir. Rigo Mora
"Hasta Los Huesos" (Down to the Bones) Dir. René Castillo
"Jacinta" Dir. Karla Castañeda
"Jaulas" (Cages) Dir. Juan José Medina
"Prita Noire" (Black Doll) Dir. Sofía Carrillo
"La Casa Triste" (The Sad House) Dir. Sofia Carrillo
"La Noria" ( The Waterwheel) Dir. Karla Castaneda
"Lluvia en los Ojos" (Rain in the Eyes) Dir. Rita Basulto
"Zimbo" (Zimbo) Dir. Rita Basulto & Juan Jose Medina
Shorts Before Features
"Ella" (Her) Dir. Ximena Urrutia (Mexico, 2014, 23 min)
"Mestizo," Dir. Talon Gonzalez (USA, 2014, 10 min.)
"La Teta de Botero," Dir. Humberto Busto (Mexico, 2015, 18 min., Us Premiere)
The screening of the selected work-in-progress films will be for industry accredited to the festival. These screenings are not open to the general public or member of the press.
Guadalajara Construye in Los Angeles 2
• "Angelica," Dir. Marisol Gómez-Mouakad, Puerto Rico/USA
• "Dementia" (Demencia), Dir. Jose Luís Valenzuela, Mexico/USA
• "Lupe under the Sun" (Lupe bajo el sol), Dir. Rodrigo Reyes, Mexico/USA
DocuLab.2 Los Angeles
• "No Dresscode Required" (Etiqueta no rigurosa), Dir. Cristina Herrera Borquez, Mexico/USA
• "Looking at the Stars" (Ol" ando pras estrelas), Dir. Alexandre Peralta, Nicaragua/Brazil/USA
• "Omar & Gloria" (Omar y Gloria), Dir. Jimmy Cohen, Mexico/Canada
Ficg in La is presented by the University of Guadalajara Foundation in USA and Conaculta, with Principal Sponsors the University of Guadalajara, the Guadalajara International Film Festival, the Institute of Cinema Mexico (Imcine), Univision and La Opinion.
- 8/13/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Guadalajara Wraps and a New Fest Begins
Ficg (pronounced FeeSeeg and standing for the Festival International de Cine in Guadalajara), displayed a new vibrancy. Besides some great films, great attendance and great organization, several Latin American countries are entering the international film business for the first time (Peru and Ecuador) with subsidies from their government pointing to an optimism for film production as an economic factor in their country's growth. I blogged about the Dominican Republic but not about the new Law 226 in Mexico which encourages businesses to invest up to 20 million pesos (U.S.$2 million) or 10% of the taxes they owed the previous year (whichever is higher) into Mexican film production, or Brazilian access to subsidies.
In addition, Guadalajara is becoming known as the Silicon Valley of Mexico as its economy is based especially on information technology with a large number of international firms having facilities there. It is also considered to be the home of Mariachi music. The city is named after the Spanish city of Guadalajara with the name originating from the Arabic word meaning "Valley of Stones". It is the highest ranking major Mexican city and has the second strongest economic potential of any major North American city. Only Chicago scores more highly for sheer economic potential (Per a 2007 report in fDi magazine, an English-language news and foreign direct investment publication owned by The Financial Times Ltd and edited in London). The same research calls Guadalajara the "city of the future" due to its youthful population, low unemployment and large number of recent foreign investment deals. It was also ranked the third most business friendly city in North America.
A new digital film studio is going up. The University is an important center of culture and learning.
And sadly, violence over drugs is not far away. This past Friday, Narco gangs appropriated 25 vehicles in 16 separate incidents – 11 of them in the Guadalajara metropolitan zone where they set fire to them in retaliation for action taken against them in a military action to capture two Mexican drug cartel members. At the Centro Magno festival venue, festival transport staff stopped filmgoers leaving a screening of Andres Wood's Violeta Went to Heaven as they sought to return to the festival's central Expo Center venue, acknowledging concerns for safety. A truck was set on fire not far (but not too close either: at Calzada Lázaro Cárdenas and Mezquite, at la Colonia de El Fresno) from the Expo where the festival was still being held, but there was no disruption of the festival.
Our friend, Hebe Tabachnik, Iberoamerican programmer for the Palm Springs Film Festival is on the jury and writes from there:
Dear friends, in spite of the disruptive and unfortunately deadly incidents in Guadalajara today, all the attendees to the Ficg Guadalajara are Ok. We are sorry this beautiful city and specially its amazing people have to experience this kind of criminal acts. The festival is going ahead with its schedule events, as it should be. Celebrating the arts and show no fear is the best way to manifest against the non sense violence. Viva Guadalajara. Viva Mexico!!!!
The activities of the industry, with meetings about Iberoamerican coproductions with its well presented professional projects, the film market itself with films available to watch up to 2 weeks after the closing, the Cannes Marche Producers Network, Works in Progress, Berlinale's Talent Campus and Doculab, and of course, the festival itself with galas every night, a Focus on U.K. and Mike Leigh, Homages, Mexican and Iberoamerican Competition, Sounds of Cinema, Children's Cinema, Lgbt prizes, Open Air Screenings - all defy easy decision making on how best to spend one's time there.
The prize winners:
PalmarÉS FICG27
Premio Maguey
Mención Especial
“Todo el mundo tiene alguien menos yo” (México) Dir. Raúl Fuentes
Premio Maguey
“Mía“ (Argentina) Dir. Javier van de Couter
Premio del Público Milenio
“Espacio Interior“ (México) Dir. Kai Parlange
Premio Mezcal
“Un mundo secreto“ (México) Dir. Gabriel Mariño
Premio Cinecolor
“Un mundo secreto“ (México) Dir. Gabriel Mariño
Mejor Cortometraje de Animación - Premio Rigo Mora
“Un ojo” (México) Dir. Lorenza Manrique
Mejor Cortometraje Iberoamericano
“Minuto 200” (Colombia) Dir. Frank Benítez
Mejor Cortometraje Mexicano
“Lucy vs. los límites de la voz” (México) Dir. Mónica Herrera
Largometraje Iberoamericano Documental
Mención Especial
“El salvavidas“ (Chile) Dir. Maite Alberdi
Mejor Documental Iberoamericano
“ ¡Vivan las antípodas! “(Argentina - Chile - Alemania - Holanda) Dir. Víctor Kossakovsky
Largometraje Mexicano Documental
Mención Especial
“Carrière, 250 metros” Dir. Juan Carlos Rulfo y Natalia Gil
Mención Especial
“El paciente interno” Dir. Alejandro Solar
Mejor Documental Mexicano
“Cuates de Australia” Everardo González
Largometraje de Ficción Iberoamericana
Mejor Guion
Jaime Osorio por “El páramo” (Colombia)
Mejor Fotografía
Mauro Pinheiro Jr. por “Sudoeste” (Brasil)
Mejor Actriz
Francisca Gavilán por “Violeta se fue a los cielos” (Chile)
Mejor Actor
Andrés Crespo por “Pescador” (Ecuador)
Premio Especial del Jurado
“Los pasos dobles” (España - Suiza) Dir. Isaki Lacuesta
Mejor Opera Prima
“Transeunte” (Brasil) Dir. Eryk Rocha
Mejor Director
Sebastián Cordero por “Pescador” (Ecuador)
Mejor Película Iberoamericana
"Abrir puertas y ventanas" (Argentina) "Dir. Milagros Mumenthaler
Largometraje de Ficción Mexicana
Mención Especial
Música Original de "Días de gracia"
Mejor Guion
Miguel Bonilla por “Diente por diente”
Mejor Fotografía
Jerónimo Rodríguez por “Todo el mundo tiene a alguien menos yo”
Mejor Actriz
Martha Higareda por “Mariachi Gringo”
Mejor Actor
Kuno Becker por “Espacio Interior”
Mejor Opera Prima
"El fantástico mundo de Juan Orol" Dir. Sebastián del Amo
Mejor Director
Everardo Gout por “Días de gracia”.
Mejor Película
“Mariachi Gringo” Dir. Tom Gustafson
alt=premios-paralelos>
Premio de los Niños
“El secreto del medallón de jade” (México) Dir. Rodolfo Guzmán y Leopoldo Aguilar
Premio Feisal
Mención Especial
“No hay lugar lejano” (México) Dir. Michelle Ibaven
Mención Especial
“Oro Colombiano: 400 años de música del alma” (Colombia) Dir. Sanjay Agarwal e Iván Higa
Premio Feisal
“75 habitantes, 20 casas, 300 vacas” (Argentina) Dir. Fernando Domínguez
Premio Fipresci
“Violeta se fue a los cielos” (Chile) Dir. Andrés Wood
Guerrero de la Prensa
Mejor largometraje de ficción “Días de gracia” (México) Dir. Everardo Gout Mejor largometraje documental “El paciente interno” (México) Dir. Alejandro Solar
Academia Jalisciense de Cinematografía
Mejor cortometraje jalisciense “La noria” Dir. Karla Castañeda Mejor largometraje jalisciense “Fecha de caducidad” Dir. Kenya Márquez
No sooner does this festival and market wrap when a new Mexican festival, the Riviera Maya Film Festival, begins March 20 - 25 which will play in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Cozumel and Holbox. The industry component Rivieralab, a coproduction event will take place in Quintana Roo March 22-25 and will host 158 projects from Latin America and Europe. 10 projects will be showcased to financiers, fund representatives, producers and sales agents, 3 will receive 200,000 pesos or approximately Us$15,500. 8 international works in progress at post-production stage from a pool of 40 will be selected to receive support.
Ficg (pronounced FeeSeeg and standing for the Festival International de Cine in Guadalajara), displayed a new vibrancy. Besides some great films, great attendance and great organization, several Latin American countries are entering the international film business for the first time (Peru and Ecuador) with subsidies from their government pointing to an optimism for film production as an economic factor in their country's growth. I blogged about the Dominican Republic but not about the new Law 226 in Mexico which encourages businesses to invest up to 20 million pesos (U.S.$2 million) or 10% of the taxes they owed the previous year (whichever is higher) into Mexican film production, or Brazilian access to subsidies.
In addition, Guadalajara is becoming known as the Silicon Valley of Mexico as its economy is based especially on information technology with a large number of international firms having facilities there. It is also considered to be the home of Mariachi music. The city is named after the Spanish city of Guadalajara with the name originating from the Arabic word meaning "Valley of Stones". It is the highest ranking major Mexican city and has the second strongest economic potential of any major North American city. Only Chicago scores more highly for sheer economic potential (Per a 2007 report in fDi magazine, an English-language news and foreign direct investment publication owned by The Financial Times Ltd and edited in London). The same research calls Guadalajara the "city of the future" due to its youthful population, low unemployment and large number of recent foreign investment deals. It was also ranked the third most business friendly city in North America.
A new digital film studio is going up. The University is an important center of culture and learning.
And sadly, violence over drugs is not far away. This past Friday, Narco gangs appropriated 25 vehicles in 16 separate incidents – 11 of them in the Guadalajara metropolitan zone where they set fire to them in retaliation for action taken against them in a military action to capture two Mexican drug cartel members. At the Centro Magno festival venue, festival transport staff stopped filmgoers leaving a screening of Andres Wood's Violeta Went to Heaven as they sought to return to the festival's central Expo Center venue, acknowledging concerns for safety. A truck was set on fire not far (but not too close either: at Calzada Lázaro Cárdenas and Mezquite, at la Colonia de El Fresno) from the Expo where the festival was still being held, but there was no disruption of the festival.
Our friend, Hebe Tabachnik, Iberoamerican programmer for the Palm Springs Film Festival is on the jury and writes from there:
Dear friends, in spite of the disruptive and unfortunately deadly incidents in Guadalajara today, all the attendees to the Ficg Guadalajara are Ok. We are sorry this beautiful city and specially its amazing people have to experience this kind of criminal acts. The festival is going ahead with its schedule events, as it should be. Celebrating the arts and show no fear is the best way to manifest against the non sense violence. Viva Guadalajara. Viva Mexico!!!!
The activities of the industry, with meetings about Iberoamerican coproductions with its well presented professional projects, the film market itself with films available to watch up to 2 weeks after the closing, the Cannes Marche Producers Network, Works in Progress, Berlinale's Talent Campus and Doculab, and of course, the festival itself with galas every night, a Focus on U.K. and Mike Leigh, Homages, Mexican and Iberoamerican Competition, Sounds of Cinema, Children's Cinema, Lgbt prizes, Open Air Screenings - all defy easy decision making on how best to spend one's time there.
The prize winners:
PalmarÉS FICG27
Premio Maguey
Mención Especial
“Todo el mundo tiene alguien menos yo” (México) Dir. Raúl Fuentes
Premio Maguey
“Mía“ (Argentina) Dir. Javier van de Couter
Premio del Público Milenio
“Espacio Interior“ (México) Dir. Kai Parlange
Premio Mezcal
“Un mundo secreto“ (México) Dir. Gabriel Mariño
Premio Cinecolor
“Un mundo secreto“ (México) Dir. Gabriel Mariño
Mejor Cortometraje de Animación - Premio Rigo Mora
“Un ojo” (México) Dir. Lorenza Manrique
Mejor Cortometraje Iberoamericano
“Minuto 200” (Colombia) Dir. Frank Benítez
Mejor Cortometraje Mexicano
“Lucy vs. los límites de la voz” (México) Dir. Mónica Herrera
Largometraje Iberoamericano Documental
Mención Especial
“El salvavidas“ (Chile) Dir. Maite Alberdi
Mejor Documental Iberoamericano
“ ¡Vivan las antípodas! “(Argentina - Chile - Alemania - Holanda) Dir. Víctor Kossakovsky
Largometraje Mexicano Documental
Mención Especial
“Carrière, 250 metros” Dir. Juan Carlos Rulfo y Natalia Gil
Mención Especial
“El paciente interno” Dir. Alejandro Solar
Mejor Documental Mexicano
“Cuates de Australia” Everardo González
Largometraje de Ficción Iberoamericana
Mejor Guion
Jaime Osorio por “El páramo” (Colombia)
Mejor Fotografía
Mauro Pinheiro Jr. por “Sudoeste” (Brasil)
Mejor Actriz
Francisca Gavilán por “Violeta se fue a los cielos” (Chile)
Mejor Actor
Andrés Crespo por “Pescador” (Ecuador)
Premio Especial del Jurado
“Los pasos dobles” (España - Suiza) Dir. Isaki Lacuesta
Mejor Opera Prima
“Transeunte” (Brasil) Dir. Eryk Rocha
Mejor Director
Sebastián Cordero por “Pescador” (Ecuador)
Mejor Película Iberoamericana
"Abrir puertas y ventanas" (Argentina) "Dir. Milagros Mumenthaler
Largometraje de Ficción Mexicana
Mención Especial
Música Original de "Días de gracia"
Mejor Guion
Miguel Bonilla por “Diente por diente”
Mejor Fotografía
Jerónimo Rodríguez por “Todo el mundo tiene a alguien menos yo”
Mejor Actriz
Martha Higareda por “Mariachi Gringo”
Mejor Actor
Kuno Becker por “Espacio Interior”
Mejor Opera Prima
"El fantástico mundo de Juan Orol" Dir. Sebastián del Amo
Mejor Director
Everardo Gout por “Días de gracia”.
Mejor Película
“Mariachi Gringo” Dir. Tom Gustafson
alt=premios-paralelos>
Premio de los Niños
“El secreto del medallón de jade” (México) Dir. Rodolfo Guzmán y Leopoldo Aguilar
Premio Feisal
Mención Especial
“No hay lugar lejano” (México) Dir. Michelle Ibaven
Mención Especial
“Oro Colombiano: 400 años de música del alma” (Colombia) Dir. Sanjay Agarwal e Iván Higa
Premio Feisal
“75 habitantes, 20 casas, 300 vacas” (Argentina) Dir. Fernando Domínguez
Premio Fipresci
“Violeta se fue a los cielos” (Chile) Dir. Andrés Wood
Guerrero de la Prensa
Mejor largometraje de ficción “Días de gracia” (México) Dir. Everardo Gout Mejor largometraje documental “El paciente interno” (México) Dir. Alejandro Solar
Academia Jalisciense de Cinematografía
Mejor cortometraje jalisciense “La noria” Dir. Karla Castañeda Mejor largometraje jalisciense “Fecha de caducidad” Dir. Kenya Márquez
No sooner does this festival and market wrap when a new Mexican festival, the Riviera Maya Film Festival, begins March 20 - 25 which will play in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Cozumel and Holbox. The industry component Rivieralab, a coproduction event will take place in Quintana Roo March 22-25 and will host 158 projects from Latin America and Europe. 10 projects will be showcased to financiers, fund representatives, producers and sales agents, 3 will receive 200,000 pesos or approximately Us$15,500. 8 international works in progress at post-production stage from a pool of 40 will be selected to receive support.
- 3/12/2012
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
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