Alamar, a fresh view on family and nature

Alamar, by Pedro Gonzalez-Rubio

Alamar comes from nowhere. It looks like nothing you could have ever seen before. The Mexican movie director Pedro Gonzalez-Rubio gathered three amator actors, including father and son, Jorge and Natan. He sent them in a place they did not know, Banco Chinchorro, one of the largest barrier reefs in the world, located on the Mexican Caribbean coast.

Mexico City, the “capital of the 21st century”?

"First stop in the new world", by David Lida

When I first saw this book, I was really intrigued by the title. David Lida called it “First stop in the New World, Mexico City: the capital of the 21st century”. It is not exactly what is generally said about Mexico City. But the author not only says this because he calls Mexico City “his hometown”, he also has some arguments…

“Goyo” Cardenas or the building of social figures

"Memorias de un loco anormal, el caso de Goyo Cardenas", by Andres Rios Molina

At first sight, it seems to be a surrealistic case. A serial killer who just got out from prison is received and applaused by all the members of Parliament. Thirty years before, he had strangled four young ladies and was known as one of the first serial killers of the modern era. He also escaped from prison before being rearrested. Gregorio “Goyo” Cardenas had become famous in Mexico in the Second World War years. His case had been followed day by day by the whole country. And the debate came back in the late 1970s when his lawyers asked for his release.

“My classics” : Cochochi

Cochochi

Cochochi is an unidentified cinematographic object. Some will think it is very slow, some will think the scenario is weak. But just sit comfortably and watch it. And dream. Because it is a movie talking to your dreams. In the Sierra Tarahumara, in the North of Mexico, two young boys, Evaristo and Luis Antonio, just finish their school year.

“Rudo y cursi”… Yes, popular comedies still exist

Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal in "Rudo y cursi"

In Paris these days you could see posters of the movie “Rudo y Cursi” (litterally “The rude and the corny”), which is released on the 1st of September. There was written : “The best Mexican comedy of the year”. Well… First of all, there have not been so many Mexican comedies in the recent weeks. The Mexican cinema is quite wealthy but has not producted many comedies unlike what it was a few years/decades ago.

“Chilango Chronicles”, the essence of Mexican surrealism

Juvencio (Patricio Castillo), Claudia (Regina Orozco) and Jairo (Rodrigo Ostap)

This weekend “Chilango Chronicles”, from the movie director Carlos Enderle, is released in Mexico. Beyond the illustration of how difficult it is nowadays for a Mexican movie to be distributed in its own country – it has been shown first in some festivals and US cities – it confirms the wealthy diversity of Mexican cinema.

A “safe” border

A FBI report released a few weeks ago revealed that the US-Mexican border was one of the safest areas in America. 3 percent of the border patrol agents were assaulted last year in the cities along the border. It is the lowest rate in 7 years and far less than on other regions. US authorities were pleased and enjoyed that good news, but is it really a good one?

Arizona dream

In a few weeks, the Arizona police forces could arrest dozens of Latinos without any reason. How? There is no legal abuse. They even have a law to explain this. The State of Arizona adopted a law that allow the police to arrest every migrant (the Hispanics are the most targeted) who cannot show his migration document.

Bluff and drug stuff

Panic spread over the weekend in the Mexican central city of Cuernavaca (about one hour from Mexico City). An email from a supposed drug gang circulated among the inhabitants and the thousands tourists and students who are used to spend the weekend there. The message recommended people to stay at home because two gangs could have taken the street to fight to death. “We might confuse you with our enemies”, they said.

He is (probably) the next president of Mexico

Enrique Peña Nieto / DR

Let me tell you the story of another foregone conclusion.  Two years before the presidential election, all the Mexicans are convinced that the next president has already been chosen. A poll created a shock wave among the analysts : according to Consulta Mitofsky, an independent consulting office, the PRI candidate Enrique Peña Nieto would win the election with more than a 50% of the votes. It recalls another era – not so far from us – that lasted over 70 years, when the PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party) was a single party in Mexico.