The 40th edition of Mexico’s esteemed Guadalajara International Film Festival (FICG) concluded on June 14 with a resounding success, drawing in a large audience and industry professionals. Festival director Estrella Araiza led the event, which saw 29,599 screening admissions, 7,209 participants in masterclasses and panels, and 1,473 accredited guests.
The festival featured a new genre cinema sidebar this year, with Germán Tejada’s “The Innocents” winning the top prize. The Iberoamerican section showcased Brazilian cinema, with Gabriel Mascaro’s “The Blue Trail” and Anna Muylaert’s “The Best Mother in the World” receiving accolades. Spain’s Eva Libertad took home the Best Director award for her film “Deaf.”
In the documentary category, Albert Serra’s “Afternoons of Solitude” won Best Ibero-American Documentary, while the Mexican film “To Be Named Olimpia” took home the prestigious Premio Mezcal Award. The festival also featured the first stop motion animated feature from Mexico, “I Am Frankelda,” which will be released in over 500 screens nationwide.
Notable figures like Daniela Vega, Maria de Medeiros, and Ana de la Reguera graced the Closing Night ceremony. De Medeiros, representing Portugal as the Country of Honor, was honored with the Mayahuel Award for her contributions to cinema.
The festival’s industry program, overseen by Ximena Urrutia, awarded in-kind prizes to participants, with films like “Beast” and “This Bolero is for Ita” receiving recognition. Special events included Benefit Galas with directors like Julio Medem and masterclasses led by industry greats like J.A. Bayona and Daniela Vega.
Carolina Revilla Casillas was announced as the recipient of the 2025 Jenkins–Del Toro Scholarship during FICG, continuing the tradition of supporting film studies. The festival ran from June 6-14, showcasing a diverse selection of films and talent.
The winners of FICG 2025 included films from various categories such as Mezcal Award, Ibero-American Fiction Feature Film, Ibero-American Documentary Feature Film, Maguey Award, International Animated Feature Film, Made in Jalisco, Socio-Environmental Film Award, Genre Cinema, Ibero-American Short Film, Rigo Mora Award, Young Jury Award, FEISAL, and FIPRESCI.
Overall, the 40th edition of the Guadalajara International Film Festival was a celebration of cinema, showcasing the best of Mexican and international talent in the industry.
