Mexican movies land in Beijing

What springs to mind when you think about Mexico? Tequila, tacos and jalapeno? What you ought to know is that Mexico also makes an important contribution to the film industry.

From June 12 to 14, the Mexican embassy in China, in collaboration with the National Autonomous University of Mexico and the Beijing Film Academy, is presenting the third Mexican Contemporary Cinema Series.

The festival will show The Jeremias, Everything Else and other six movies.

The Jeremias is the story of a misfit, an extremely bright little boy who finds his direction when he grows up. Despite the ignorance and poverty of his family, he struggles to succeed. This comedy was the highest grossing film in Mexico in 2016.

Another award-winning work, Everything Else, tells a story of an isolated, middle-aged female government clerk who has been “invisible” to people around her for most of her life. As a title, Everything Else is rather mysterious: What exactly does “else” refer to? You'll discover the answer by watching the movie. This drama won Adriana Barraza the award for Best Actress at the Morelia International Film Festival in 2016.

The history of Mexican film industry goes back around the end of 19th century and the beginning of the 20th, when several enthusiasts of the then-new medium documented historical events and produced movies that have only recently been rediscovered.

During the golden age of Mexican cinema (1936 – 59), the country dominated the Latin American film industry. These days, directors Alfonso Cuaron, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and Guillermo del Toro - nicknamed “The Three Amigos of Cinema” - are highly influential in the film industry around the world.

Entry to the festival, being held at the Beijing Film Academy, is free. The original language of the films is Spanish but subtitles will be provided in English and Chinese.