Valentina or the Serenity
Ángeles Cruz | Mexico | 2023 | 86'
Screenings
Wed 8 May H 19:00
Section
Original title
Valentina o la serenidad
Synopsis
Valentina, nine years old, lives in an indigenous community of the Sierra Mixteca in the state of Oaxaca. One day, she is told of the death of her father, who has drowned in the river. While the community is busy with the traditional funeral rituals, Valentina enters a phase of denial. Her family and time will help her overcome the pain of her loss. RA sensitive story of working through mourning by a small girl, between playing, imagination and the supernatural world, inspired by the director’s own infantile trauma.
Cast
Danae Ahuja, Myriam Bravo, Alexander Gadiel
Films Distribution
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Production
IMCINE, Ángeles Cruz, On Post Films
Editing
Ángeles Cruz
Cinematography
Carlos Correa
Editing
Felipe Gómez
Language
Spanish
Subtitles
English, Italian
Premiere
Italian premiere
Main awards
Golden Colon Award to the Best Film and Silver Colon Award to the Best Actress (Huelva Latin American Film Festival, 2023)
Biography
Ángeles Cruz belongs to the Ñuu Savi, an indigenous people of the Mexican state of Guerrero. As a writer and director Ángeles started her journey in 2012 with her award- winning short The Doldrums or How to Cure Sadness, followed by The Letter (2013) and Arcangel(2018). In 2021 her feature film debut Nudo Mixteco won the Mexican Academy Award for best first feature just after a successful festival run. Valentina or the Serenity premiered at the Toronto IFF.
Filmography
2023 - Valentina or the Serenity, ff
2021 - Nudo Mixteco, ff
2018 - Arcangel, sf
2013 - The Letter, sf
2012 - The Doldrums or How to Cure Sadness, sf