León, Guanajuato, October 25, 2023 – The Guanajuato International Film Festival (GIFF) today unveiled the details of its 28th edition, which will take place from July 25 to August 3, 2025, in the cities of León, Irapuato, and San Miguel de Allende. During a press conference at the Mateo Herrera Auditorium in the Forum Cultural, cultural authorities and GIFF representatives announced the projects and participants that will be part of this edition, highlighting the diversity of stories and the commitment to nurturing new talent.
Among the projects to be showcased in this edition are unique and creative stories, such as samurais battling cowboys, a spiritual cholo guide, a family separated by death, a giant spider, a journey that doesn’t go as planned, and a man trying to protect his grandson. These narratives are part of the 12 new productions by GIFF, resulting from 25 training workshops conducted over six months.
Sarah Hoch, Executive Director of GIFF, emphasized that the festival has trained 1,870 young filmmakers through 313 specialized workshops, resulting in the creation of 187 films by participants from 17 Mexican states and 44 communities in Guanajuato, as well as three invited countries. Some of these works have been screened at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.
The University Rally, in its 16th edition, will bring together six teams tasked with completing a high-quality film within a 48-hour timeframe. This year, students from universities across Mexico, from Guanajuato to Toluca, Tepic, Durango, and Querétaro, will participate. Meanwhile, the 15th University Documentary Contest “Identity and Belonging” will feature six teams producing documentaries focused on Guanajuato communities, strengthening regional identity and cultural belonging.
Lisette Ahedo Espinosa, Álvaro Octavio Lara Huerta, Undersecretary of Cultural Development and Artistic Promotion, and María Adriana Camarena de Obeso, Director General of the State Institute of Culture of Guanajuato, reiterated the state government’s commitment to the development of Mexican cinema and the training of young talent.
GIFF, with the support of the Government of the State of Guanajuato, the Secretariat of Tourism, the Secretariat of Culture, Juventudes GTO, Fundación Expresión en Corto, and Red-Cola, continues to be a benchmark in Latin America as the first window to Mexican cinema. This festival not only promotes film screenings but also invests in the training of future filmmakers, ensuring that cinema remains a bridge connecting stories and cultures.
With this edition, GIFF reaffirms its commitment to promoting Mexican cinema and contributing to the development of the national film industry, standing out for its year-round efforts in support of cinema made in Mexico.
