Jodie Foster, Juliette Binoche, Stellan Skarsgård Led Stars at Morelia

The 23rd Morelia Film Festival (FICM) concluded on Oct. 17 with a remarkable display of talent from newcomers in the film industry. Many first-time directors and actors took home the top prizes at this year’s festival, including Pablo Pérez Lombardini’s environmental thriller “The Reserve” (“La reserva”), which won Best Feature, Director, and Actress for Carolina Guzmán.

Pérez Lombardini’s debut film garnered attention at Ventana Sur last year and continued to impress at FICM. Based on real-life stories from environmental activists, “The Reserve” tells the story of a forest ranger fighting to protect her village’s surrounding forest. Shot with non-professional actors in a rural community in Chiapas, the film sheds light on the ongoing struggle faced by conservationists in Latin America.

With over 100 films in competition, FICM was praised by industry heavyweights like Alfonso Cuarón and Guillermo del Toro as a cultural landmark and essential platform for global cinema. The festival, founded and led by Daniela Michel, featured a lineup of international guests presenting their films, including Stellan Skarsgård, Juliette Binoche, Jodie Foster, and Gael García Bernal.

Among the winners at FICM were Karen Plata, who took home the Best Screenplay award for “The Devil Smokes (and Saves the Burnt Matches in the Same Box)” by Ernesto Martínez Bucio. David Pablo’s “On the Road” received accolades for Best Cinematography and Best Actors for Víctor Miguel Prieto and Osvaldo Sánchez.

Mayra Hermosillo’s directorial debut “Vanilla” won the Audience Award, while Richard Linklater’s “Nouvelle Vague” secured the international audience award. In the Mexican documentary category, Indira Cato’s “Being Olimpia” was recognized for its portrayal of feminist icon Olimpia Coral Melo.

The festival’s industry section, Impulso Morelia, showcased films in post-production, with Dano Garcia’s “Mickey” from Chicken & Egg Films winning multiple awards. The jury, led by Ava DuVernay, selected winners in various categories, including Best Mexican Feature Film, Best Direction, and Best Screenplay.

Overall, the 23rd Morelia Film Festival celebrated the triumph of newcomers in the industry, showcasing a diverse range of talent and stories from around the world. As the festival wrapped up on Oct. 19, it left a lasting impact on the film community and set the stage for future generations of filmmakers to shine.