TOLOUSE.- Awarded in January at the sundance festival and now in competition at Cinelatino in Toulouse, the film mexicana Dirty It is a fragile breath of hope against the scourge of drug trafficking, the story of a young man who has a chance to escape the cycle of violence.
Astrid Rondero and Fernanda Valadez probably made history by co-directing this film: there is no such precedent in Mexican cinema.
“I think so, we are pioneers,” Astrid Rondero (40 years old) explains to AFP with a smile.
After winning the award for best international film at Sundance, Astrid Rondero went to the Cinelatino festival in Toulouse (southwest) to, in addition to competing with Dirty, join the short film awards jury.
Premise of the film
The film narrates through episodes the story of the son of a hitman in one of the most violent Mexican states, Michoacán.
So violent that the film was actually filmed in Guanajuato.
“They are from these areas that in Mexico we call zones of silence, that is, places where it is very difficult for the press to enter. And of course it is impossible for a film crew to go there to film,” explained this director.
“Unfortunately, during the filming and preparation process of the film, Guanajuato also entered situations of extreme violence. It will be the last film we film there in the coming years, because it has also become very dangerous” he explains.
Dirty He is an intelligent boy, who senses that through education he can escape from that Zone of Silence. His departure to Mexico City is an opportunity, but the past will haunt him.
Astrid Rondero and Fernanda Valadez have been working together for fifteen years, alternating the roles of scriptwriters, producers or directors of their respective projects. For Dirty They felt that the time had come to lead together.
“It is impossible to discuss everything beforehand, because cinema is very lively. But we were very clear about where the film was going,” he describes. “We drew the entire story, the ‘story board’, between the two of us,” he adds.
“I really enjoy working with actors. Sometimes what catches Fernanda the most is everything technical, with the camera,” reflects Astrid Rondero.
Teamwork
Fernanda Valadez directed in 2020 Without being particular (script by Astrid Rondero), also about violence and young people, also with non-professional actors. And winner of two awards at Sundance.
In that filming, a 15-year-old boy, Juan Jess Varela, stood out.
“Juan Jesús is an extremely talented actor in training,” describes Astrid Rondero.
“In Without being particular We wondered what has to happen in a society for a young man to commit acts of terrible violence. And in this film it is the other way around: What has to happen for a young man to turn his back on that violence?
The next project of these two filmmakers could take place in the United States, where they have already been contacted to shoot a film with local actors.
“What we value most in our career is independence. So we are part of the production,” he warns.
And meanwhile, they will continue promoting Dirty by different international festivals, waiting for the premiere in Mexico, in October.
“One receives the comments (at festivals) with great emotion, but the ones that matter most to us are always those from our country, because we are portraying something that we are all experiencing there,” he explains.
FUENTE: AFP
