Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca.- Avoiding the complex social context derived from the current health contingency due to the pandemic, the three-day meeting of contemporary Mexican cinema in this city culminated, the Festival del Puerto, which, in its sixth edition, recognized the short film A Covered Face de Besos, by Mariano Rentería, with the El Faro del Puerto statuette and a mention of La Oscuridad, for his skill in using cinematographic tools to tell a story in less than twenty minutes.
“Excited to see the narratives that illuminated the waves of the sea in the projections of this great festival that supports the new voices of Mexican cinema, we had an enriching dialogue to find a winner, we considered the form of the work from the bottom, so we decided give the main prize to a Face Covered with Kisses, by Mariano Renteria Garnica, and a mention to La Oscuridad, by Jorge Sixtos Moreno, for his talent in using the tools of the cinema for current affairs that interest us as a society ", commented the representative of the jury and renowned programmer, Michel Lipkes.
Although the directors were not present to receive their awards, the audience that did not exceed 150 attendees as agreed, enjoyed the last star screening at Bacocho Beach, Los Lobos, Samuel Kishi Leopo's second feature film.
“All this effort has to do with those voices of filmmakers who, somehow, need to make films and need to show and project their voices so as not to suffocate, we are living a moment like this in the country, in the world, in which this type of voices We feel that it is very important to share, especially in a setting like Puerto Escondido ”, observed Nino Cozzi, founding director of the festival.
He added that, in addition to the emblematic Faro del Puerto, the featured films received a post-production award, by Pierrot Films and insurance from the LCI company.
Filming on the Oaxacan coast
The first day of the meeting, Kokoloko (2020), by Gerardo Naranjo, was screened, which tells the story of a tragic love between Mundo, played by the renowned actor Noé Hernández, Marisol and Mauro. Filmed in the span of 4 years, between Mazunte and Puerto Angel, the team of about 10 people included two young people from the town on camera.
"We did it here and with our hands, I can guarantee it, I was tired of working based on the internal logistics of the cinema, for me it was very important that there was no logic, those things that limit a lot to tell a story," said Naranjo adding that 95 percent of the cast had never been in a movie. "It was a film school where I re-learned to make a film," said the director of Miss Bala (2011).
This shoot for the community was an exciting event, said René Medina and Juan, from Zipolite, whose jewelry store was lent for a casting.
“An event like this always impacts a small community, everyone finds out, it's fun; Movies are generated here, now comes a skater from Zipolite, a Canadian mom and a Oaxacan dad; there is always a benefit or help in some way, the economy moves, people do casting, they pay and when they see the action (of the shoot), people get excited ”.