Although audiences were down slightly this year, the Guadalajara International Film Festival ended on a high note last weekend as a slew of celebrities (mostly minor ones) flew in for the final shindig and prize-giving ceremonies.
Many Tapatio film buffs were disappointed that Italian film director Bernado Bertolucci backed out of the festival at the last minute for health reasons. While many well-known Mexican actors breezed through the festival – Damien Bichir, Diego Luna to name two – the biggest media buzz surrounded the arrival of Canadian actress Neve Campbell and Carmen Carrera, the transgender U.S. reality television personality, model, burlesque performer and actress. The two stars were on hand to hand out the Premio Maguey award to Swedish filmmaker Ester Martin Bergsmark for “Something Must Break,” a love story between two young men, and receive honors themselves.
Carrera was named the 2015 “Premio Maguey Diva Icon” and Campbell the “Premio Maguey Queer Icon.” These annual awards are given to personalities “who with their work and profile have left a mark as icons and key figures of sexual diversity.”
Two of the other three major awards went to movies that were also honored at the recent Berlin Film Festival. “600 Miles,” directed by Gabriel Ripstein, won the Premio Mezcal for Best Mexican Film from a slate of 22 films, and “Ixcanul,” directed by Jayro Bustamante of Guatemala, beat out 17 competitors to win the Best Iberoamerican Film (see synopsis). The two production companies picked up 500,000 and 250,000 pesos respectively.
“La once, Tea Time,” directed by Chilean Maite Alberdi, won the best Iberoamerican Documentary Prize and 150,000 pesos. Filmed over a four-year period, the film sensitively documents the monthly tea and cakes ritual enjoyed by a group of well-heeled septuagenarian Santiago ladies who graduated high school together in the 1950s.
Synopsis of the winning films
“600 Miles” Arnulfo Rubio smuggles weapons for a deadly Mexican cartel. ATF agent Hank Harris attempts to apprehend him, but gets kidnapped by Rubio instead. Rubio takes him to his bosses, but during the 600-mile-long drive, they slowly befriend.
“Ixcanul” Maria, a 17-year-old Mayan woman, lives on the slopes of an active volcano in Guatemala. Her status as an indigenous woman does not allow her to go out into the modern world. Later, during a pregnancy complication, this modern world will save her life, but at what price.