Mexico's recent resurgence of quality cinema has brought both Mexican films and directors to the forefront. Top directors Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Guillermo del Toro and Alfonso Cuaron, for example, are among those who are changing Hollywood's view of Mexican films.
And also turning heads are Mexico's documentaries. In recent years talented young directors have clearly made their mark on the documentary film scene with finely produced work showcasing the struggles, courage, and dramas of Mexican life.
Los Últimos Héroes de la Península (Last Heroes of the Peninsula)
Directed by J.M. Cravioto
When former boxing world champions Gustavo Guty Espadas, Miguel Canto, Freddie Chato Castillo, Lupe Madera, and Juan Herrera stepped into the boxing ring, their hardscrabble childhoods were forgotten. They were warriors, stars, and above all they were international heroes who proudly came from Mérida, Yucatán.
Mérida, Yucatán, rose to boxing capital status because of the champions who put them on the map one after the other. These Mérida men all rose out of poverty and became known as "the last Mayan warriors."
But fame came at a price. Their sudden power led to extravagant spending, as well as greedy promoters who robbed them of their earnings, and women and family who cozied up to them for some cash.
Nowadays, the Mexican boxers are still fighting, but this time outside of the ring. The Last Heroes of the Peninsula fight for their families' happiness. No matter how old they get or how their bodies change, in Mérida, they remain "the last Mayan warriors."
Mi Vida Dentro (My Life Inside)
Directed by Lucía Gajá
A brilliantly done Mexican immigration documentary allows viewers to understand the realities of Mexican immigrants in the United States, especially those in the criminal justice system. The film follows the life of teenager Rosa Jimenez, a Mexican immigrant who comes to Austin, Texas, searching for a better life.
Instead, in 2003, she is arrested for suspicion of murder. Did she really kill the child she babysat? Or was she wrongly accused because she was an immigrant? Regardless of the truth, viewers get a glimpse inside a polarizing immigration case in the Texas criminal justice system.
Intimidades de Shakespeare y Víctor Hugo (Intimacies at Shakespeare and Victor Hugo)
Directed by Yulene Olaizola
Rosa Carbajal rented rooms out of her Mexico City house to all kinds of characters. One day a charismatic young man, Jorge Riosse, charmed his way into one of these rooms.
His eccentric nature always made an impression, but his charming ways captured Rosa's attention. Director Yulene Olaizola won the National Fund for Culture and Arts scholarship to film Intimidades de Shakespeare y Victor Hugo, a grabbing documentary filled with drama and twists.
Out of Rosa and Jorge's loneliness, grew an intense friendship. When he died suddenly, some dark secrets surfaced that will forever haunt Rosa.
Nancy Flores - My freelance work, which ranges from writing articles, producing and editing online video and shooting photos, focuses on Mexican travel, ...
