Menu
How joyful it is to have the opportunity to lead the programming of a Latin American Festival for the first time. After having been responsible for the selection of numerous line-ups in various festivals around the world, Mirada Corta is a new challenge for me that I experience with great excitement. This involves curating a selection of the most vibrant international films and, at the same time, discovering Mexican films to give them international exposure. The task is to bring together these films in a unique event, with the purpose of being celebrated by an unparalleled audience, undoubtedly one of the most passionate and cinephile audiences I have had the pleasure of knowing: the Mexican audience.
Mexico has been a global reference in cinema for decades, but beyond blockbusters and major productions, emerging Mexican artists have achieved a unique level of sensitivity when it comes to storytelling. Always mindful of the importance of entertaining the audience, yet never forgetting the responsibility to educate and alert film enthusiasts about the reality in which we live. This has led them to fearlessly provide a space for brave voices to have a prominent place in the film industry.
Cinema has the magical ability to transport us to a unique universe where anything is possible, immersing us in a singular reality: that of the big screen. Today, with great pride and joy, I invite you to enjoy the best Mexican and international short films of the year in every fan’s favorite place: the movie theater.
Viva el cine, viva la cultura!
Mariano Cabaco
Invited Programming Director
2024 Edition
VIERNES 19 JANUARY | CINE TONALÁ | 6.45 PM
Beyond any cliché, love is indispensable to survive in the reality we live. It is the fuel that propels human beings and leads them to connect in an eternal quest for a better world. This collection of films presents us with diverse stories that portray the virtues, challenges, but above all, the beauty of love… “All we need is love”…
A lonely bassoonist lives his life meticulously, mired in routine. Each day, he plays a single note in an orchestra and leaves the stage while the rest continue. One day, his exit is accidentally delayed and he hears a breathtaking violin solo, which changes his life forever. A Christmas love
A pedantic mother-to-be hires a stranger to role-play as her unborn daughter.
Rick, a young man with a ton of talent, is considering suicide to escape from life’s roughness towards mistakes. A strange middle aged man tries to convince him not to, and a heated debate ensues.
Walter Barish, a hopeful yet melancholic 25 year old office worker, is trying to get in contact with a lost relationship, Amelie Flowers. To face his feelings, he needs to make a crucial phone call however he is trapped in his own mind where his subconscious has turned against him.
On their way back to Mexico city from a short vacation, Esther and Leonardo reminisce about their youth and their relationship before parenthood. As they get loser to the city, the conversation grows strained, and Esther confesses that she regrets becoming a mother.
Carlos, a lonely insecure man, is secretly in love with his work colleague, Olivia. At the office, during the day, he is basically invisible to her, but night after night, they begin to meet at a mysterious wasteland while they sleepwalk. Will they wake up or will the trees keep on dreaming?
Carmen suffers a panic attack after facing the prospect of opening herself emotionally to her partner Lucía. A couple of soccer commentators relate the attack as if it were a game. Carmen will have to make a decision that will forever change her relationship.
VIERNES 19 ENERO | CINE TONALÁ | 9:00 PM
A selection of powerful short films that urge the audience not to forget the past, not to censor the harm or pain caused. Instead, they invite us to transform it into strength to move forward and prevent it from happening again. Filmmakers from around the world dare to elevate the voices of minorities, making it clear the importance of not forgetting.
A boy, Daniel, travels by train towards a dark destination known as the smokehouse.
Based on true events, “Bestia” explores the life of a secret police agent during the military dictatorship in Chile. Her relationship with her dog, her body, her fears and frustrations reveals a grim fracture of her mind and of the country.
An Afghan journalist embarks on a journey to find out who murdered her family 30 years ago, only to uncover hundreds of civilians killed in a secretive American backed program.
Every year, thousands of boys and girls are forced to abandon their countries unaccompanied. They flee the violence with nothing more than what fits into their backpack.
Animated documentary that tells the story of María, a mother who discovers that the Morelos Prosecutor´s Office buried her son and 115 more bodies in a hidden and irregular mass grave. María and her sister forced the government to open the grave and succeed in removing those he had buried there. Maria is guided by the rain, when it rains means that her son Oliver sends her signals that she is on the right track in her struggle to return the missing persons home.
A wandering soul caught in a moment of reflection is met with a sweet surprise; an object of desire. Thrust from his lonely corner, Moon falls into a journey of love with Sun. Through surrealistic visuals and flowing dance, twin flames bend and grow together in nature. Will the passage of time and the power of nature keep them apart? Or are they predestined to orbit each other forever?
A group of young people on their way to a demonstration in Guadalajara, México are suddenly kidnapped by the same forces they were trying to protest. As the group is plunged into darkness, not knowing if they will ever see the light again, the memories of a young man — and the many that became victims before him — emerge. A reflection of police brutality in today’s world.
SABADO 20 ENERO | LE CINEMA IFAL | 2:45 PM
Life puts obstacles in our way that can be disheartening. These films shine on the big screen, proving that the last thing to die is hope. Fictional characters or real-world fighters in the world we live in will face any barrier and continue their paths. An exciting collection of animations, experimental films, documentaries, and narratives.
XVII Century. Amidst the mountains somewhere in Mexico, a christian Priest who has fallen victim to a strange illness is taken by his native disciple to the hut of an old indigenous shaman. The Curandera will try to cure the Friar performing an ancient ritual which will have unexpected effects in the mind and body of the evangelizer.
An antique musical instrument dealer obsessively plays a magical vinyl record that “reads your mind and plays your lost memories.” Even the forgotten ones.
“Vidalita” is an experimental piece that explores the beauty of nature and music, through the interaction of bodies with space, in a ritualistic manner. It is an invitation to connect with the inherited and omnipresent mystery that surrounds us.
Through her work, photographer Mandy Barker shows the devastating and far-reaching impact of marine plastic pollution
“Artist” is a visually captivating film that delves into the mind of a female artist preparing for her first gallery show. Her Master Piece—an abstract sculpture of a woman’s body—has consumed her for months. However, as the opening night nears, her frustration over a small imperfection reaches a breaking point.
Caught in a room the protagonist, Clarice, unfolds a vision of her own identity through a mirror interrogator.
In this short film, written and directed by Bella Thone, Bella delivers an unapologetic narrative, both painful and beautiful, exploring the journey of women.
Summer, 2019. Carla (25) and Fernando (25) are a young couple vacationing with their son Nico (8) at the beach, where they find a break from their hectic life. However, while arguing about their future, their trip takes an unexpected turn and an unfortunate accident shatters the family forever.
In a dystopian society a grandmother wants to spend more time with her granddaughter, but a series of events turns what seems to be a perfect afternoon into something else.
SABADO 20 ENERO | CINE TONALÁ | 4:45 PM
Undoubtedly, the most important value one can find in a human being is the truth. It is the truth that allows us to grow and promote a freer and more respectful world. These films bring the audience the truths of different artists, documentaries, artistic portraits, animations, not only entertaining the audience but also alerting them to truths that had not been heard.
Tosi (Naomi León), una niña nativa de una comunidad indígena de Baja California, motivada por la delicada condición de su abuela (Inocencia Sáenz) y molesta por la apatía de su hermano (Ratkley López) y los demás miembros de la comunidad, busca hacer la diferencia en un momento en el que la oscuridad lo ha consumido todo.
Quebec poet and composer Martin Léon recounts his relationship with the river he’s lived with for 11 years, how it inspires him and what it teaches him. “There’s a peace that doesn’t depend on anything external”.
Dust Trails is a short film that seeks to show the consequences caused by the disappearance of a relative. It embodies the most human impulses that lead us to an exhaustive search for a loved one. Isabel’s inner search also reflects the path she takes in history. In the midst of pain, she must decide between looking for her mother alone or joining a new fight accompanied by strong mothers.
A proposal in parallel, in constant comparison with two very different realities. In turn, these two characters have many points in common. The fact of being women, living day by day with the situations of risk and violence that plague our country, Mexico. The overwhelming daily report of the disappearances of women, and the violence, that is shown in the mass media and on networks. The brutal reality that women face for the simple fact of traveling on public transport, daily intimidation, the vulnerability of walking through the streets to reach work spaces, where we are constantly at risk.
Marie is driving on the highway and needs to pee urgently. But the toilet at the rest stop is broken. And an increasingly absurd odyssey through this toxic male biotope begins for Marie – and ends in blood.
A prestigious film director is publicly accused of rape, and he makes a documentary to prove his innocence.
SABADO 20 ENERO | CINE TONALÁ | 7:00 PM
Intense stories, suspense, and terror take over this block of short films, where one of the main sensations we will experience is fear. Thrillers, groundbreaking films, and, of course, horror movies will keep us on the edge of our seats in a screening not recommended if you have a heart condition.
Manuel lives his way, he exercises and trains his pitbull dog. However, Margarita, a women twice his age, will finally make him question his identity.
When an ambitious young Mexican diplomat loses his career and is reduced to caddying at a golf resort, he kidnaps an arrogant American businessman in a misguided attempt to buy his old life back, unprepared for the battle of wills that ensues.
An older woman returns home to find life has taken a frightening turn.
After festival rejections, a director revises his intensely personal short film about trauma, suicide, and the Holocaust, and transforms it into a painful, blunt and funny dissection of the film and his life. Ten years in the making.
A global catastrophe is ending life on Earth and inside one of the only safe places that remain, a boy seeks to break his confinement to help his father return with him.
On Halloween night in a small town, a boy accepts a dare from his friends to hide in the back seat of an empty car and frighten the driver when they return. But what starts as a seemingly harmless prank turns into a night from hell.
DOMINGO 21 ENERO | CINE TONALÁ | 2:45 PM
Short films that will evoke great emotion in the audience. Get ready to immerse yourself in the stories of these captivating characters and enjoy moments filled with humor and emotion. Whether fiction or animation, these films dazzle the big screen with their ability to tell a great story.
When a young telemarketer is confronted by a mysterious talking ostrich, he learns that the universe is stop motion animation. He must put aside his dwindling toaster sales and focus on convincing his colleagues of his terrifying discovery.
To escape from everyday life, it’s very simple: you need a ladder and a spoon. But is it really that easy ?
Following an unpleasant run in at the beach, teenagers Oscar and Iben are left behind by their friends.
Two friends Sam and Ethel play a fun game to reconnect at their local beach.
Deborah is a rather tough piano teacher. She lives in Calais, France. Mansour is a Syrian refugee with a continual big smile on his lips. He wants to cross the Channel to England. By accident, Deborah welcomes Mansour into her home. An improbable meeting, which awaken a buried and tragic past.
Deborah is a rather tough piano teacher. She lives in Calais, France. Mansour is a Syrian refugee with a continual big smile on his lips. He wants to cross the Channel to England. By accident, Deborah welcomes Mansour into her home. An improbable meeting, which awaken a buried and tragic past.
This Saturday is a Turkish wedding day at Espace Venise (France). Huddled in a car in the parling lot, Fatih, 21, wants to get married. He has set his sights on Ipek, Recep’s sister. But neither Murat, his best friend, nor Recep, nor even Ipek are aware of this yet.
How’d You Sleep? is a comedic, slice of life exploration of one person’s battle with chronic insomnia. Our main character, let’s call them Dreamer, has the nightly misfortune of tossing and turning, lucid dreams that jolt them awake, racing thoughts and racing heartbeats. They’re haunted by the fear of the looming future, as their insomnia makes following their waking dreams feel impossible. Over the course of a night we get a glance at the surreal, frustrating, humiliating, ridiculous ways that Dreamer tries to cope, to make it through the night and ultimately tries to fall asleep.
An Afro-Surrealist story about a giant woman and a tiny man who through the power of touch, experience an unexpected transformation.
Whilst a mother drives with her daughter through the wealthy suburbs of her home city, eyeing the houses of the rich, she accidentally drives her car into a beautiful flower patch inside the front yard of a mansion, bogging their car down. The daughter tries to find a way out, before her mother’s visceral fascination with the house and its owner drives them both to a point of no return.
DOMINGO 21 ENERO | CINE TONALÁ | 5:30 PM
A selection of the most touching films of the season. Heartwarming stories of resilient women, families facing countless obstacles, parents and children, siblings. Fighters in first person who never forget the importance of keeping on trying.
Don't play with no chicken she scares me have a dog in the forest i can puff like an owl can you see me? they run away shouts a me no fun it creaks at night we hide bark tastes like bugs they point fingers at sky yesterday when you eat it soft like me are we scary? We are scary today.
After their mother’s death, a cognitively disabled woman and her estranged sister must learn to communicate in order to move forward.
In a warm winter day, a teenage girl and her drug addicted mother search for her stepdad at titty bars and strip clubs. When the girl reveals a secret to her mother about her stepfather, the two must process this information while driving on the highway in the setting Texas sun. The film explores a culture of objectifying women, generational differences and how mothers and daughters might view this culture differently.
A father and mother are faced with the painful task of washing and shrouding their deceased transgender daughter. Shrouding is an Islamic religious practice that is deemed obligatory to carry out upon death. But when no one agrees to wash her and shame falls onto the family, how far is the father willing to go to make sure his “son” is washed?
Mona is a 10 year old Tongan-Australian girl who begins to realise she’s different to her single, white mum and family. Both mother and daughter navigate identity and belonging in Melbourne suburbia during the 90’s.
A bird hits a window of a café and disrupts its customers. A woman faces a decision on whether to ignore nature or to react.
On a dark and stormy night, Death pays a visit to a very old lady and her dog.
The sad adventures of a man who, immersed in his apathy, takes the shape of the corner in which he leaned for too long. A story of self-improvement in the face of the loss of a loved one: his couch
At the end of the horizon a singing cicada is born. Its flying is short, yet its chanting is eternal.
A successful painter prepares a retrospective of all his work. During the preparations, the painter enters into a deep personal crisis that leads him to question his past and try to create one last and disconcerting work.
DOMINGO 21 ENERO | CINE TONALÁ | 8:00 PM
When you’re sad, when you need some advice, when you feel like you’re alone… there will always be someone there. Stories of encounters, of friendship, of family. Bonds of blood or not, but that will undoubtedly captivate the audience with the emotion of these characters who remind us that we are not alone in this world.
A desperate mother who wants to reconnect with her son. On the complexity of depression and grief and search for understanding and absolution.
During a night of doubt, Marc, a carer dreaming of becoming a chef, has to admit to Quentin, his friend with a motor disability whom he has been taking care of on a daily basis for years, that he will surely not return to work on the following day.
After a tragedy Andrzej is trying to move on. But revenge stands in the way of life. Only one question remains – a shotgun or a hammer?
A woman living with her husband’s abscence rethinks her priorities after an incident with their children.
Tomás, a young mechanic stuck in a side road town, finds the opportunity to go to Mexico City and try to fulfill his dream of being a great bullfighter; but leaving is not easy, first, he must face and cut the ties that bind him to that place where nothing seems to happen.
A teenager in search of recognition, a worker ready to do anything to hit the jackpot, a senior executive at the end of his career who wants to prove to himself that he is still alive. Three characters who are losing speed on the competition highway…
