Immigration, romance on the menu at DIFF

Five classic and contemporary Mexican feature and documentary films will be screened as part of the Dubai International Film Festival’s In Focus: Mexico segment from December 12 to 19, 2010, organisers said in a statement.

The line-up of fact and fiction highlight the diversity in Mexican cinema as well as the country’s rich history and complex socio-political dynamics, with themes tackling immigration, conscience revolutionaries and hot-blooded romance.

Ortiz Cruz focuses on guilt and forgiveness in the brand-new drama “The Dead Sea” (El Mar Muerto). The critically acclaimed film begins when an electrical blackout hits Mexico City. In the shadows, transgressions are committed but when power returns the perpetrators realise the extent of their actions and must redeem themselves. 

From the golden age of Mexican filmmaking is 1947 classic “Enamorada”, directed by Emilio Fernandez, starring Mexican icons Maria Félix and Pedro Armendáriz, and photographed by legendary cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa. 

The film narrates the story of guerrilla general José Juan Reyes and his troops, who takeover the town of Cholula near Mexico City. As the revolutionaries plunder the town’s riches, Reyes finds himself falling in love with the daughter of one of the town’s richest men.

Veteran Mexican director Felipe Cazalas’ “Chicogrande”, a commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Mexican revolution this year, is set during Pancho Villa’s raid on a New Mexico outpost in 1916 and the resulting American military expedition into Mexico to arrest and punish him. 

Roberto Hernandez’s critically acclaimed and award winning documentary “Presunto Culpable” (Presumed Guilty) tracks the story of Tono Zuniga, wrongly convicted of murder in December 2005. While trying to exonerate him, two young Mexican attorneys expose the pitfalls of a justice system that presumes suspects guilty until proven innocent. 

Sebastián Hiriart’s “A Tiro De Piedra” (A Stone’s Throw Away) rounds out the showcase. It follows a bored 21-year-old shepherd from northern Mexico who finds a keychain on the ground just when he thinks he needs more in life. The keychain takes him on a thousand mile journey to find its rightful owner in the northwest United States. Combining realism and fantasy, the film is a cogent commentary on the plight of poor Mexicans who see riches awaiting them over the border.

Sheila Whitaker, Director of International Programming for DIFF, said the programme highlighted the breadth and depth of Mexican filmmaking. 

“Mexican cinema has a long and honourable history, and today, as in its past, it can boast world-class directors. This year’s selection of Mexican cinema provides further evidence of a vibrant filmmaking culture,” she said. 

The seventh edition of the Dubai International Film Festival 2010 will be held from December 12 to 19.