Guadalajara Film Festival’s LGBTQ+ Themed Premio Maguey Touts Series, Animated Feature for the First Time

Now on its 14^th edition, the Guadalajara Film Festival’s (FICG) Premio Maguey sidebar celebrates LGBTQ+ cinema with the addition of series and an animated feature for the first time.

“If we’re talking about inclusion, then we have to practice it ourselves, right? So naturally, it’s also about creating space for diverse content — stories and perspectives that enrich our program in meaningful ways,” said Premio Maguey programming director Pavel Cortés.

10 core films in competition are joined by six others from the other competitive sections, as in the case of toon “Lesbian Space Princess,” which also competes in the animation sidebar.

The series debuting at Premio Maguey are “Amor de papel,” “La Engañada,” shot in Jalisco, and Gabriel Ripstein’s crime dramedy “Mentiras,” which will be honored with a Gala, said Cortés.

“Amor de papel,” directed by Edu Cortés, turns on Christian, a man immersed in his books and fantasies, whose life is upended when he meets a new client.

Francisco Gonzalez’s “La Engañada” revolves around Estela who dropped her career to start a family. But a mysterious package arrives to dramatically change her life.

In “Mentiras,” four women gather at the funeral of a murdered man – only to discover he was romantically involved with each of them, making them all suspects.

The 16 pics in competition hail from 17 different countries as far flung as Indonesia, France, Australia and the U.K.

Mexico vies for the Premio Maguey prizes that include best performance, Special Jury Prize and best film with two standout projects: “Sobre las olas” and “Newborn” (“Un mundo para mi”), which also vies for the Premio Mezcal, a section for competing Mexican features.

The latter, written and directed by Alejandro Zuno, follows first-time parents who face ignorance, prejudice and even woefully uninformed doctors when their child is born intersex.

“Sobre las olas” is set on an imaginary island where Gloria Zamora, a working mother, reveals her true self as money and power transform her.

Chile’s Daniela Vega, who first shot to fame as the lead in Sebastian Lelio’s Oscar-winning “A Fantastic Woman,” is recognized with the Premio Maguey Queer Award and will also lead a Masterclass.

The festival opens with “Murió la Fantasía” (“The Fantasy Died”), a reportedly compelling documentary exploring the star system and a pop star’s life while revealing the hidden struggles within the industry, produced by Mexican electropop artist Denisse Guerrero who receives the Premio Maguey Trayectoria, a lifetime achievement award.

Reflecting on the importance of having such a film section devoted to LGBTQ+ themes in Guadalajara, Cortes said: “Given Guadalajara’s strong university presence, many people come here to study and, in doing so, discover a sense of freedom they didn’t have in their hometowns. That experience often leads them to stay, as they find they can live more freely here.”

“Another key factor is that Guadalajara is a deeply cultural city. It hosts major events like the International Film Festival and the Book Fair, along with countless artistic and cultural happenings throughout the year,” he said, adding: “All of this serves as a kind of barometer– an indicator that naturally gives rise to more diverse, inclusive communities, with broader, more open perspectives on life.”

“It’s also becoming a much more diverse and tolerant city, especially in terms of the many forms of expression you see. And without a doubt, I think something very important is its proximity to Puerto Vallarta, which is considered Mexico’s top gay destination,” he mused.

The month of June is pride month and will culminate in the Gay Pride Parade, to be held on June 14, when the festival ends.

Films in Competition

“Only Good Things” (“Apenas coisas boas”), Daniel Nolasco (Brazil)

“The Nature of Invisible Things” (“A natureza das coisas invisíveis”), Rafaela Camelo (Brazil, Chile)

“Two Times João Liberada” (“Duas vezes João Liberada”), Paula Tomás Marques (Portugal)

“Croma,” Manuel Abramovich (Argentina, Germany, Austria)

“Hot Milk,” Rebecca Lenkiewicz (U.K.)

“The Innocents” (“Los Inocentes”), Germán Tejada (Peru, Mexico)

“La Joia: Bad Gyal,” David Camarero (Spain)

“Lesbian Space Princess,” Leela Varghese, Emma Hough Hobbs (Australia)

“Rains over Babel” (“Llueve sobre Babel”), Gala del Sol (Colombia, Spain, U.S.

“Molt Lluny,” Gerard Oms (Spain, Netherlands)

“The Blue Trail” (“O último azul”), Gabriel Mascaro (Brazil, Mexico, Netherlands, Chile)

“Queer as Punk,” Yihwen Chen (Malaysia, Indonesia)

“Sabar Bonda,” Rohan Parashuram Kanawade (India, U.K., Canada)

“Siempre Vuelven” Sergio De León (Uruguay, Argentina)

“Sobre las olas” Horacio Alcalá (Mexico, Spain, France)

“Newborn” (“Un mundo para mí”) Alejandro Zuno (Mexico)