From March 20th to the 27th, the 34th version of Guadalajara International Film Festival (FICG) will take place, where a large delegation representing our country will participate in competitive sections as well as industry spaces. Within the program there are three Chilean short films directed by young talents that will have their Mexican and international premieres in two categories.
Taking place in Iberoamerican Short Documentary is the world premiere of Especulaciones sobre J.R. by Fernando Vergara Riquelme and Constanza Lang, produced by Fernando Fuentes, a University of Chile undergraduate thesis project that delves into the intimate life of its late protagonist. In the words of Vergara, “My grandmother used to live with her husband, J.R., an everyday man who never caught my attention. Now that he isn’t here, his belongings suggested to me a past of violence, a past my grandmother prefers not to talk about.”
Meanwhile, Lang added, “It seems very positive to us to be selected abroad in Latin America. The possibility of premiering in other parts of the world existed, but the fact that it was in Guadalajara, a place in Latin America that also experiences these same stories of violence, motivated us quite a bit.”
In the Iberoamerican Short Fiction category, two productions will be present. The first is El Milagro by Daniela López Lugo, produced by Farola Cinema, which premiered last August at the New York Latino Film Festival. It centers its narrative on Flaca, a young mother of two little ones who live in the home of her partner David’s parents. For a while, she’s been suspecting that David is hiding another relationship and decides to confront him, whatever it takes. This short is joined by En el cielo me dejas caer by Sebastián Claro, produced by Nueva Memoria. It’s about how the death of a mother reunites a distant family and, inevitably, a father and his daughter will revive the demon that once destroyed them.
“For everyone this has been a great miracle, because no one expected much (...). Ultimately ending up selected is a big surprise and a great joy for everyone because it’s an opportunity not only to tell a story, but also for them to show new talents, and that gratifies me quite a bit,” said López. Meanwhile, Claro mentioned, “To me it’s very special because it's my first festival, it’s my first project that’s going to festivals. I feel like the wait was worth it, I feel like it’s a marvellous film, I feel that it’s a necessary message and it’s exciting for me.”
