Despite the heat these days, walking through the doors of the Cineteca or the Conjunto Santander de Artes Escénicas, during the Guadalajara International Film Festival, always feels like a breath of fresh air. It renews my enthusiasm and gives me the certainty of being in the right place.
In these spaces not only films are screened, but also a community is built. Here I feel close to the filmmakers who inspire me, whose films I have seen with admiration and who now walk the same corridors, willing to share their experience. I have been fortunate to live with filmmakers such as Samuel Kishi, Bertha Navarro and Mónica Lozano.
In addition, as a film student and aspiring to be part of this industry, it has been especially valuable to participate in activities of the Industry in Training pilot program. This place has not only allowed me to learn from professionals with a consolidated trajectory, but also to get closer to them, ask questions, solve doubts and receive advice that is difficult to forget.
During the second day of the Guadalajara International Film Festival (FICG40), I had the opportunity to attend the opening of the Puerto Rico Film Festival, where the international premiere of Parto ( 2025), a Puerto Rican film directed by Vivian Bruckman, took place.
Parto is a powerful play that puts the female experience at the center and, with a sensitive look, challenges the stereotypes that traditionally surround motherhood. At the end of the performance, I approached the director for a brief conversation.
Bruckman received me warmly and shared with me that FICG has been an important space in his career since the beginning, when he presented his first short film, and that returning now with an international premiere was deeply moving. I asked him for advice for those of us who, like me, are taking our first steps in the industry. His answer was full of strength: "Keep on filming with love and passion".
That same night, I attended a cocktail party where film students from different universities such as the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Occidente (ITESO), the University of Advanced Technologies University (UNIAT), CINEMA and the Tec de Monterrey, among others. Although we all came from different backgrounds, we were united by the same passion and intention to meet more people. The atmosphere was very warm, there was music and we were offered delicious drinks and food. But, more than that, during the event we were able to create a space to get to know each other and discover that we are not alone in this path of formation.
Also present were representatives from the Escuela Superior de Cine y Audiovisuales de Cataluña (ESCAC), an internationally recognized institution and alma mater of filmmakers such as Juan Antonio Bayona. They shared with us the history of the school, the achievements of its graduates and the scholarship opportunities they offer for international students interested in continuing their education in various areas of filmmaking.
I must confess that I arrived at the event with some nerves. I knew it would involve meeting new people, getting out of my comfort zone. But it only took a few minutes to feel part of something bigger. Everyone was very open and curious. I felt a special energy, because even though we are still learning, we are already dreaming big.
The following day, on the third day of the festival, I had the opportunity to attend a very special screening: a short film still in progress, titled 8 maneras de morir, directed by Mar Novo. The story is moving and proudly tapatía. The most valuable part of the encounter was that it was not only about watching the work, but also about being part of its growth.
Present in the room were the director, members of the production team and various people from the industry who, at the end of the screening, shared their opinions and offered feedback. It was a very enriching dialogue where cinema felt like something that is built together.
Mar Novo shared with the audience part of her creative process, the origins of her story and the challenges she faced in shaping it. Listening to her talk about her artistic quest was very inspiring. It allowed me to see not only to understand the result, but also what is behind a work; the doubt, intuition and vulnerability.
For me, and I am sure for many of those present, it was an invaluable moment. In addition to what we learned about the production processes, I found it very valuable that a festival opens the door to conversation and the possibility that a story under construction is strengthened by the eyes of others.
On the fourth day of the festival, I was present at a very encouraging meeting, a space dedicated to dialogue between film schools. Representatives from institutions such as the International Film and TV School (EICTV), the Center for Art, Architecture and Design (DIS), the Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica (CCC), the Escuela Nacional de Artes Cinematográficas (ENAC), ITESO, the Centro, the Facultad de Cine, UNIAT and the Tec de Monterrey participated. Beyond the names, what was truly moving was the spirit of collaboration of all the people. Each representative shared the formative vision of their school from their own trenches, with a deep commitment to art. They spoke of their challenges, their achievements, but above all of their shared dreams: to train a new generation of filmmakers who are sensitive, critical and committed to their stories.
The gratitude towards FICG for opening this space was general. The initiative allowed us to learn about the different pedagogical perspectives and made it clear that, although each school has its own path, there is a common goal: to build a solid and generous community within the film industry. It was a moment that made it clear that cinema is also built from education and that the union between schools is a vital step to strengthen the future of film in Mexico.
On the last day of the Industry in Training program, I had the opportunity to attend one of the most significant screenings of my entire experience at the festival: Cine Sordo. A docuseries produced by Cinema school students. The project records the work of a group of deaf students who, with great commitment, developed a glossary in Mexican Sign Language (LSM) for deaf filmmakers, which they then taught to hearing students within their own university. Watching the documentary was deeply moving. Not only because of the sensitivity with which it was made, but also because it gives visibility to the deaf community within the film industry, a space where they have historically been underrepresented. The docuseries is not limited to showing a problem, it proposes a solution from the collective and inclusion.
At the end of the screening, one of the project's protagonists, Omar, stood up in front of the audience and taught us the alphabet in LSM. He showed us how to establish clear and respectful communication on a set with deaf people. We learned essential words for a shoot such as "script", "production", "scene", "shot", among others. I found this event deeply valuable, as it is a firm step towards the diversification of cinema in Mexico and towards a truly inclusive language both on and off the screen. May initiatives like Cine Sordo multiply and inspire film communities around the world.
Participating in the activities of the Industry in Training program was very meaningful for me. It made me realize that I am not alone in this journey; many other people are also going through the same training process, with the same doubts, hopes and fears. College is a very exciting time, but it can also be uncertain and sometimes frustrating. Meeting other students who are on the same journey made me feel accompanied and, above all, full of hope.
In addition, having the opportunity to learn directly from industry professionals that I admire and discover that they are willing to listen to you and share their experiences was very inspiring. Knowing that this generational bridge is open to accompany the growth of those of us who come behind, fills me with confidence. Today, at the end of this stage of the festival, I am excited, motivated and with a heart full of desire to continue dreaming and creating my place within the film community in Mexico. Because cinema is also made of encounters and this was one that I will never forget.
Written by Dulce Gálvez (dulce.galvez.herrera@gmail.com),
Communication student majoring in Film Production and Directing.