Mexico’s Monterrey International Film Festival Marks 20th Year with New Industry Programs, Team (EXCLUSIVE)

Mexico’s Monterrey International Film Festival marks a milestone 20th edition with inaugural industry programs, a robust lineup and new team members as it seeks to further boost its international profile. The event will be held from Sept. 25 to Oct. 2 in Parque Fundidora, Monterrey, with two new programs, WIP and ProMeetings, leading its industry section.

Festival board president Lorena Villarreal spearheads the festival, which will highlight a selection of world-class films sourced from top-tier festivals, including Cannes, Berlin, Tribeca and Sundance. “The Festival is also expanding its industry footprint to establish itself as a bridge between the U.S., Iberoamerica and Mexico while supporting our local industry in Nuevo Leon with more programs and notable guests and honorees to be announced very soon,” she said, listing the likes of Andrea Arnold’s “Bird” ; Agathe Riedinger’s debut film “Wild Diamond,” which world premiered in Cannes; the Sundance-winning doc “Sugarcane” by Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie and “Another End” by Piero Messina.

Building on its expansion plans of last year, the fest has bolstered its team with the recent hires of Diana Cobos as general manager and LA-based Mexican producer Eva Ruiz de Chávez as industry manager, succeeding Diana Cadavid.

Abraham González continues as head of programming, and Álvar Carretero as head of International PR & Talent.

“This year, we are not only commemorating our past but also driving the festival toward a future filled with fresh, innovative and daring voices. Our mission is to elevate new perspectives that are young not by age, but by their critical and bold narrative,” said Cobos, who added: “Nuevo León’s youthful energy is reflected in both our programming and the festival’s overall personality.”

Given the robust student population of the city, the second largest after the capital, the festival’s audience is predominantly young, some 52%, Cobos told Variety. “This makes the award for Best Student Short Film even more significant,” she said, adding that the fest planned to organize educational activities throughout this year and next. The city boasts some five major universities and other learning institutions, many of which are allied with the festival.

Programming head González is overseeing the curation of some 70 titles in the festival’s full lineup, to be announced on August 15. There are eight competitive categories ranging from international and Mexican features, documentaries and shorts to one reserved for pics shot in Monterrey’s region of Nuevo Leon.

Arnold’s “Bird” opens Monterrey while Messina’s “Another End” closes it. Both are making their Latin American premieres.

Other key titles making their Mexican premieres at the fest include Cannes’ Un Certain Regard entry “Dog on Trial” by Laetitia Dosch, Tribeca Documentary winner “Witches” by Elizabeth Sankey and Barry Keoghan-led thriller “Bring Them Down” by Chris Andrews.

The festival is launching a new section called Monterrey Classics that will showcase iconic international and Mexican films led by Wim Wenders’ “Paris, Texas,” which was digitally restored this year at L’Immagine Ritrovata in Bologna. “This version premiered as part of Cannes Classics on May 24, 2024, and we are thrilled to have its Mexican premiere at the festival,” said González.

With its inaugural Work in Progress (WIP Monterrey) and ProMeetings programs, the festival’s nascent industry section aims to serve as a conduit between the entertainment industries in the U.S., Mexico and Iberoamerica.

Some companies have already signed up as award sponsors, led by Mexico’s venerable Estudios Churubusco doling out the main post-production award along with Latin American one-stop-shop, Labo. Mandarina Cine will give out the Mexican distribution award while Hasan Estudio, the sound mix award. More prizes will be unveiled in the coming days.

“This year, we not only celebrate innovation and creative diversity in cinema but also reinforce our commitment to the sustainable growth of Nuevo León’s film industry and, by extension, to the Mexican industry,” said Ruiz de Chávez, adding: “It’s so important to build cultural bridges.”

“As U.S. Latino creatives face more challenges at home where budgets are shrinking and fewer shows are greenlit, they need to be made aware of the incentives and opportunities that Latin America has to offer,“ she noted.

WIP Monterrey supports films in post-production from first and second-time filmmakers exploring themes of representation, diversity and social issues. The program offers comprehensive post-production, distribution, and marketing support, with its submission window open from July 15 to August 15. To date, they have received some 20 entries, of which at least six will be chosen.

ProMeetings, slated for September 26-29, provides networking and co-production opportunities for projects in development. So far, they’ve received up to 50 submissions, said Ruiz de Chavez, who is thrilled at the caliber of the projects.

Seven feature film projects and seven series will be selected for the opportunity to be presented to producers, distributors and financiers worldwide. They will also compete for various awards geared towards their international circulation and development.

Supported by substantial contributions from state, local, and private sources, along with some federal funding, the festival seeks to establish itself as Mexico’s leading international film festival and a major creative hub within the country.

After all, as the business and industrial center of Nuevo León, Monterrey benefits from having the highest per-capita income in Mexico, further enhancing its potential.

Key allies and sponsors for the 20th edition include the Secretaría de Cultura del Gobierno de México, Secretaría de Cultura de Nuevo León, Secretaría de Turismo de Nuevo León, Embassy of France in Mexico, LVT, Barraca, Canacine Nuevo León, Cinépolis, Parque Fundidora, Grupo Milenio, Publimetro, Sigma and the main universities in the region: TEC de Monterrey, UDEM, UANL and UNICA.