Even in a country influenced heavily by the Catholic Church, a growing Jewish community thrives in Mexico. Mexico's Jewish roots date back to the days of colonization, but most Jews arrived in Mexico after fleeing religious persecution in Europe in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
Mexico's Jewish community boasts an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 people, with most of the population living in Mexico City. In 2004, in an attempt to create dialogue and understanding between Jews and non-Jews in Mexico, the Mexico International Jewish Film Festival was born. Its success has made it possible to showcase Jewish films from around the world, but in recent years Mexican-Jewish filmmakers have taken the spotlight with well done documentaries and brilliant tragicomedies.
The popularity of these Mexican-Jewish films has also captivated audiences beyond the Latin American film industry. Check local Jewish film festivals or film society events for screenings of these must-see films.
Cinco Días Sin Nora or Nora's Will (Mexico, Comedy, 2008)
Directed by Mariana Chenillo, Starring Enrique Arreola, Ari Brickman, Juan Carlos Colombo, Marina de Tavira, Max Kerlow, Silvia Mariscal
When Nora decides to end her life right before Passover, she meticulously plans out the details of her funeral in hopes of getting her dysfunctional family together for one big Passover celebration. José, her grumpy, non-believing ex-husband is left to handle everything despite his clear annoyance of Nora's controlling ways even after death. But Nora's plan doesn't have instructions for what to do when José discovers a secret Nora kept until her death.
This superb tragicomedy won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at the Cine Las Americas International Film Festival as well as the Audience Award at the Miami International Film Festival and the Morelia Film Festival.
Morise Está en Hebreo or My Mexican Shivah (Mexico, Comedy, 2007)
Directed by Alejandro Springall, Starring Raquel Pankowsky, David Ostrosky, Sharon Zundel, Emilio Savinni
In Mexico City's heavily Jewish neighborhood of Polanco, the angel of light and darkness oversee the shivah, or Jewish 7-day mourning period, of 75-year-old Moise. In this excellent dark comedy, the angels must figure out which one of them takes Moise's soul to the afterlife. But Moise's chances of a happy eternity are slim when his crazy family deals with everything from forbidden affairs to splashes of Catholicism thrown in the shivah mix.
My Mexican Shivah is funniest when traditional Mexican Catholic customs collide with Jewish beliefs, as Moise's soul dangles on the line.
Ocho Candelas or Eight Candles (Mexico, Documentary, 2002)
Directed by Sandro Halphen
An inside look into an unwanted Jewish community in the coastal Mexican state of Veracruz. When Mexicans there realized that many of the family customs passed down for generations did not follow Catholic traditions, they looked for answers in Judaism. Many converted, although the already established Jewish community met them with suspicion.
Eight Candles is a unique look into how a community struggles to find themselves and be accepted by others.
Nancy Flores - My freelance work, which ranges from writing articles, producing and editing online video and shooting photos, focuses on Mexican travel, ...
