Hola Mexico Film Festival

Welcome to the 16th annual Hola Mexico Film Festival! From gripping dramas to heartfelt comedies, thrilling documentaries to spine-tingling horror, this year's festival brings together an exciting lineup of films that showcase the richness and diversity of Mexican storytelling.

Schedule of Events:

5:00pm: M20 Matamoros Ejido 20

"M20 Matamoros ejido 20' is Leonor Maldonado's debut film. This documentary captures incredible choreography, dancing from the Matachines, and a remarkable street dance performed by a group of young people from Matamoros, Tamaulipas. This documentary also collects the testimonies of a youth that moves between fear, rage, euphoria, and the secrecy of experiencing the violent life of the border.

Running Time: 87 min

Director: Leonor Maldonado

5:00pm: JIkuri

Antonin Artaud is a poet seeking the spiritual knowledge of the Tarahumara, losing his soul in a Peyote ceremony. It is only through the kindness of his friend Rayenari that Artuad will regain what he's lost. Mixing horror with a story of friendship, Jikuri explores the importance and dangers of spiritual identity in the face of the cosmic unknown.

Running Time: 94 min

Director: Federico Cecchetti

7:00pm: El Eco

In the remote village of El Echo that exists outside of time, the children care for the sheep and their elders. While the frost and drought punish the land, they learn to understand death, illness and love with each act, word and silence of their parents. A story about the echo of what clings to the soul, about the certainty of shelter provided by those around us, about rebellion and vertigo in the face of life. About growing up.

Running Time: 102 min

Director: Tatiana Huezo

7:00pm: Un Viaje Al Corazon

Starring Mexican actor and comedian Omar Chaparro "The Wingwalker" is the story of Julian, a father and widower whose life takes an unexpected turn when a misdemeanor lands him in jail and he is eventually deported to Mexico. Julian's nine-year-old daughter, Sofia, who has been diagnosed with a terminal heart disease and is scheduled for a heart transplant in two weeks, is left in the care of her irresponsible uncle, Nick. Knowing the possibility of never seeing his daughter alive again is real, Julian fights to go back by any means necessary. In the process, he comes face to face with the harsh realities faced by many migrants who make their way to the U.S. border. "The Wingwalker" is a moving, suspenseful, sometimes terrifying exploration of one of the most urgent issues facing this country today.

Running Time: 117 min

Director: Alonso Alvarez-Barreda

9:00pm: Soy Lo Que Nunca Fui

Renato, Abel, and Gabriela are a family divided by emotional borders; for them, the desire to be happy and break free from their current situation seems unattainable. The decisions they make independently will have an impact on each other's lives, demonstrating how fragile and delicate the way they are connected is.

Running Time: 123 min

Director: Rodrigo Alvarez Flores

9:30pm: A Cielo Abierto / Upon Open Sky

Written by Guillermo Arriaga (Amores Perros). Upon Open Sky is an intense revenge drama about two teen brothers and their stepsister taking a road trip to the Mexico U.S. border to track down the man responsible for the accident that caused their father's death. This is a cautionary tale about revenge and how far we'll go to see it through.

Running Time: 117 min

Director: Santiago Arriaga
Co-Director: Mariana Arriaga