The 40th edition of the Guadalajara International Film Festival announces the official selection of the Made in Jalisco section, a section dedicated to feature films, documentaries and short films produced in the state of Jalisco or made by a Jalisco director.
This section aims to recognize and promote local film talent and introduce audiences to productions made in the city. The winners of this section receive a Mayahuel statuette.
LIST OF SELECTED PLAYERS
Feature films
Abracadáver (2024)
Juan Francisco Rodriguez
Mexico
Medea, Merlin and Houdini are three siblings, experts in magic, escapism and swindling, who must unite their talents to fulfill the last will of their dying father: the famous illusionist "The Great Mellié". They will have to execute a complex plan to steal the corpse of a priceless mummy that is buried with its treasure in a forgotten crypt and the only opportunity to achieve it is during the Night of the Dead party given by Doña Agata, the fearsome owner of the ranch where the tomb is located. If they fail, they will all pay with their lives; but if they succeed, they will achieve the fortune and peace they have always desired as a family.
At the End of the World (2025)
Abraham Escobedo Salas
Mexico | Belgium
Cecilio, a drug addict and dealer, tries to escape the world of drugs while surviving by squatting in various places around Lisbon. Despite his efforts to turn his life around by taking a new job, the ruthless system and his inner demons continue to push him to the margins of society. This dark journey of self-discovery will lead him to find dignity and solidarity along the way.
Ceremony (2024)
Dan Chavez
Mexico
Acclaimed director María Valenzuela, whose musical echo has faded into an inner silence and whose family and professional ties have weakened to the point of fragility, desperately seeks to rekindle her glory at a prestigious international directing competition in New York. Obsessed with seeking the approval and applause of others, the unexpected arrival of charismatic guest director Juventino Robles alters the course of her quest, taking her on a journey of self-discovery that questions her place in the world. It is in the longing for triumph where defeat is presented as the beginning of building new glories.
DUVA (2025)
Jonathan Álvarez Peña
Mexico
After an injury that brought his career to a sudden halt in 2021, German (31), a double Olympic medalist, is preparing to retire from diving. After months of difficult recovery, he decides to return to competition with the desire to win one last medal. Reflecting on the sacrifices of the sport, German faces the fear of not being able to reach the level that once made him a champion.
The daughters of the wind (2025)
José Camacho Cabrera
Mexico
Three visually impaired women dream of reaching the Paralympic Games. Through their dreams, obstacles and goals, the documentary explores how, thanks to athletics, they challenge their limits, conquer new horizons and discover the true strength within them.
No thanks, I don't smoke anymore (2025)
Diego Toussaint
Mexico
Nuria (Esmeralda Soto) has just been fired, but that's not her biggest problem. She has less than 24 hours to come up with the rent money or go back to live with her mom. With a day off and the urgency to get money, she faces uncomfortable encounters with her ex, a flat tire and pants with a hole in them that threatens to take away what little she has left. In her search for answers and money, she will encounter speeches from meddling relatives, voyeurs and self-centered artists, only to end up even more confused about what to do with her life. And all this while struggling to survive a day without smoking.
On the waves (2025)
Horacio Alcalá
Mexico | Spain | France
On an imaginary island, Gloria Zamora, a working mother, brings out her true personality with the arrival of money and power in her life. With the submission of the town priest, Don Marcario, purveyor of the word of God in vain, she will succeed in bringing an entire town under her feet. The family's daughter, Trinidad, acts as narrator with her own inner monologue, guiding the viewer in her reverie and judging her mother's malice. In Spain, Rocio Aldama, the personification of Sara Montiel. An actress with a single dream: to succeed. Two worlds and a mixture of coincidences and misfortunes.
Short films
The diver who stayed on land (2024)
Diana Castro Cabrera, Magali Espinosa Ortega
Mexico
Don Toño, a former diver with an unwavering passion for the sea, was forced to give up his underwater life by doctor's orders. Now, in order to support his family, he has to work two jobs on land, in a constant balance between his past and his present. Nostalgia for the sea, his great love, overwhelms him every time he thinks of it, but his love for his family and the new life he has found on land help him to find harmony between his past and his present.
Crabs in the air (2024)
Esteban Guerrero Carranco
Mexico
After a devastating fight with his partner, Ivan runs away seeking refuge and freedom. With no money and no direction, he is reunited with an old love who has moved on, unearthing memories, wounds and unresolved desires. That night, under the gaze of a crab, the past returns like an echo, challenging them to face what was left behind. In an emotionally charged encounter, Ivan must decide if it is possible to free himself from what no longer belongs to the present.
Carbon (2024)
Alberto Arvizu, Yael Gonzalez
Mexico | Peru
A poetic reflection in which carbon serves as the central theme and the fundamental essence of life, present throughout all of human history. An element that bears witness to the endless cycles of love, war, life, and death of all living beings.
Somewhere inside me (2025)
Andoeni Padilla
Mexico
Somewhere Inside Me is the story of the friendship between Brahel and Andoeni, told through self-reflection, intimacy, and vulnerability. They met as children and grew up together in Guadalajara. Years later, their romantic relationship ended in heartbreak, but their friendship endured. After Brahel’s gender transition, they reconnected and rediscovered their bond. Amid art, music, and questions, their story is a journey of identity and reunion, told through archival footage, laughter, silences, and the affection that binds them.
Between the Rocks and the Sea (2024)
Alessandra Vera Gonzalez
Mexico
Ten years ago, the raccoons that inhabited the Zona de los Pinos forest in Ciudad Madero, Tamaulipas, were forced to leave their home and find refuge in the breakwaters of Miramar Beach due to growing tourism. Today, they spend their days strolling along the boardwalk, mingling with shopkeepers and tourists, and have become a tourist attraction.
Gamboa (2024)
Emiliano Alcaraz Díaz
Mexico
What would you be willing to do to win back those you love? Gamboa, a young man who has been a drug dealer for some time, is determined to get out in order to win back the affection of his family. After settling an old debt with his boss, he tries to reach an exit agreement; however, he won't let him go so easily. One last task challenges him, putting his conscience at risk in exchange for a supposed freedom.
See you soon (2025)
Jennifer Skarbnik López
Mexico
A story inspired by real events. In a letter, my grandfather Ruwen reveals to Haneczka, his younger sister, the tragic fate that befell their family during World War II and the Holocaust, making the hope of seeing each other again their greatest source of strength for survival.
Until God remembers us (2024)
André Gonzalez Arias, Victor Cartas Valdivia, Isabella Hernandez Sánchez
Mexico
Doña Leonarda and Don Chabelo have been married for over 60 years. Living in isolation, they reflect on the challenges brought on by their advancing age and Don Chabelo’s blindness with a mature, long-standing love, expressing their fears and the care they have for one another.
The Fly on the Wall (2024)
Mar Novo
Mexico
A casting assistant experiences what appears to be a callback for a porn film. While the director gives feedback to the actress who is auditioning, our heroine does exactly what her job requires: read lines, follow orders, take notes, and remain invisible. Through her eyes, we’ll see what really happens behind closed doors in a casting room in Mexico City.
Footprints of Blood (2024)
Emiliano Monroy Pineda
Mexico
María, a young novice, is forced to do penance in the gloomy convent in the early hours of Easter Sunday. Hungry and alone, she discovers that the statue of Christ beside her is breathing, bleeding, and moving. As she helps him to his feet, she notices that the holy water turns into wine and the bread into flesh. However, Christ becomes aggressive, attacking her and unleashing a terrifying chase.
Silenced (2025)
Daniel Malvido
Mexico
Irepan, a Mexican photojournalist, is murdered for taking photos that jeopardize the government’s credibility by showing that three students, officially declared dead, are alive. With the help of his colleague Carlos, Irepan tries to expose the truth, but is discovered and hunted down until he is killed. After his death, the attorney general, fearing he will be implicated in the killing, obtains the photos to save himself, but is forced to lie in a manipulated official speech. Guilt consumes him, and Irepan’s ghost haunts him, demanding justice, while his mind crumbles under the weight of the official lie.
Secret Theater (2025)
Diego Martínez Gutiérrez
Mexico
A woman offers a lock of her hair to one of her artifacts. A magical “little theater” turns the crank, and it comes to life, bringing forth a gift of life from within. The woman keeps turning it, and the little theater absorbs her, drawing her into a dream where a puppet and insect show begins—a place where her presence will bring forth life and where she must face the challenges of creation.
A Turret in Flames (2025)
Humberto Flores Jáuregui
Mexico
After a violent clash, a wounded soldier is rescued by Yolanda, a peasant woman, and her young granddaughter, Alejandra. The two live on a ranch deep in the mountains, where they hide the young man. While Yolanda struggles with whether to help him—putting their lives at risk—Alejandra tries to get close to him to confirm her own suspicions.
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