Mexico 86

For the FIFA tournament held in Mexico in 1986, see 1986 FIFA World Cup.

Mexico 86
Directed by	César Díaz[1]
Produced by	Delphine Schmit Géraldine Sprimont Anne-Laure Guégan
Starring	Bérénice Béjo
Cinematography	Virginie Surdej[1]
Edited by	Alain Dessauvage[1]
Music by	Rémi Boubal[1]
Production companies	Need Productions Tripode Productions Pimienta Films Menuetto Film [2]
Release date	10 August 2024 (2024-08-10) (Locarno)
Running time	89 minutes[1]
Language	Spanish

Mexico 86 is a 2024 drama film directed by César Díaz, and starring Bérénice Béjo[3] as a Guatemalan rebel activist reunited with her son ten years after leaving the country.[1][4]

Premise

Amidst the backdrop of the Guatemalan Civil War, death threats force the rebel activist Maria to flee the country in 1976. Ten years later, her son joins her in her new home in Mexico, and she struggles to balance her family life with her activism.[4]

Cast

• Bérénice Béjo as Maria
• Matheo Labbé as Marco
• Leonardo Ortizgris
• Julieta Egurrola

Production

Principal photography occurred between August and October 2023 in Mexico and Guatemala.[5]

Release

In February 2024, Goodfellas acquired international sales for Mexico 86 for a world premiere in the Piazza Grande section of the 77th Locarno Film Festival on 10 August 2024.[1][2][6]

Reception

A review at Cineuropa praised Béjo’s performance, stating, "Perfectly at ease in the role of a stubborn woman who finds herself trapped against her will in a dual fight against both her enemies and her allies, Bejo lends convincing consistency to this complex character, whose intentions and motivations become clearer as the story advances and make us reflect upon our own prejudices."[7]

A reive at Loud and Clear found, "Nevertheless, Mexico 86 is tense, nerve-jangling, and, above all else, quietly horrifying. For this accurate representation of a long period of such intense political violence and repression, it can only be praised.”[8] Another review stated, ”Diaz manages to keep the balance between continuing on the path of his first film (part of his crew was the same, for instance, for cinematography and music), and progressing to a whole other level in terms of means and ambitions – a fact embodied by the casting of Bérénice Béjo for the main role. Mexico 86 navigates, with equal success, between sharp action sequences typical of the spy genre (a car chase in the city streets, a sudden assassination in plain sight, shot in one continuous take), and tender scenes taking place inside the family circle.”[9]

External links

• Mexico 86 at IMDb

References

1. "Mexico 86". Locarno Film Festival. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
2. Goodfellow, Melanie. "Goodfellas Boards 'The Way: Chapter 2' Reuniting Emilio Estevez With Martin Sheen; Rapper K'naan's 'Mother, Mother' & César Diaz's 'Mexico 86' – EFM". Deadline. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
3. Szalai, Georg (2024-08-10). "Bérénice Bejo on Playing a Rebel in 'Mexico 86,' the "Right to Have Secrets," and Democracy Under Siege". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
4. "Mexico 86". BAC Films. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
5. Engelen, Aurore (September 2023). "César Díaz is shooting Mexico 86 with Bérénice Bejo". Cineurope. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
6. "César Díaz Confronts His History in Mexico 86". Locarno festival website.
7. "Review: Mexico 86". Cineuropa - the best of european cinema. 2024-08-10. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
8. Stottor, William (2024-08-10). "Mexico 86 Film Review: True Story Terror". Loud And Clear Reviews. Retrieved 2024-08-10.
9. Desbois, Erwan (2024-08-10). "Locarno 2024 review: Mexico 86 (César Diaz)". International Cinephile Society. Retrieved 2024-08-10.