MEXICO CITY —
“Totem” concluded its festival and award show tour by winning Best Film at the Ariel Awards of the Mexican Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences (AMACC).
Lila Avilés’ acclaimed film, about a girl’s relationship with her father who is terminally ill with cancer, was chosen this year by Mexico to be its representative at the last Oscar ceremony and on Saturday night, in addition to best film, it took home the awards for direction, original screenplay, female co-acting (in a tie) for Montserrat Marañón and best acting revelation for the girl Naíma Sentíes, the film’s protagonist.
“It’s been crazy. It’s taken me to more than 100 international festivals, more than 40 countries for distribution, more than 35 awards. The film has already been heard and resonated, but the most beautiful thing has been the contact with the public,” Avilés said in an interview with The Associated Press during the meeting of Ariel nominees held prior to the gala in Guadalajara, Jalisco.
“Realizing that it is the same in China as in the United States or in Australia or in Peru… in the end, even in this universe of diversity, we are quite similar.”
Filmmaker Lila Avilés of the film “Tótem” poses upon arriving at the nominees luncheon of the 66th edition of the Ariel Awards of the Mexican Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences in Mexico City on August 21, 2024.
(Berenice Bautista/AP)
The film is currently available on the streaming service Netflix. “I hope that this Ariel thing is another window to get people curious,” said Avilés, who this year was invited to be part of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences that awards the Oscars, and who also had Barbie make her a doll that is part of a collection of outstanding women.
At the 66th edition of the Ariel Awards, the film “Hurricane Season” by Elisa Miller, adapted from the novel of the same name by Mexican writer Fernanda Melchor, also won the award. The film about a group of young people who grow up without adequate adult guidance in an extremely violent environment in the Mexican tropical province took home the awards for adapted screenplay, editing and makeup. It is also available on Netflix.
“I became obsessed with the book, with Fernanda, with the characters, and I even felt responsible for a moment,” Miller told the AP. “We talked a lot with the actors about how they are children without love and how Mexico is basically made up of children without love and children raised without love… I feel that is precisely why the novel is powerful and that is a bit of the spirit that I tried to rescue, of a lot of compassion for all the characters.”
Actor Noé Hernández, from the film “Kokoloko,” poses upon arriving at the nominees luncheon of the 66th edition of the Ariel Awards of the Mexican Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences in Mexico City on August 21, 2024.
(Berenice Bautista/AP)
The award for best actress went to Adriana Llabrés from “Todo el silencio” and the award for best actor to Noé Hernández from “Kokoloko”. The award for best supporting actor went to Fernando Cuautle from “Heroico”, while the award for best supporting actor was decided in a tie between Marañón and Ludwika Paleta from “Todo el silencio”.
Diego del Río won the award for best first film for “Todo el silencio,” the love story between a deaf woman and an actress and teacher of language for the deaf who discovers she is losing her hearing. JA Bayona’s Oscar-nominated film “La sociedad de la nieve,” about survivors in the Andes, was chosen as best Ibero-American film.
Tatiana Huezo’s portrait of the hard life of the inhabitants of a remote Mexican rural community, “El Eco,” had been nominated for best film. It won the awards for documentary feature, photography and original music.
Actress Montserrat Marañón, from the film “Tótem,” poses upon arriving at the nominees luncheon of the 66th edition of the Ariel Awards of the Mexican Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences in Mexico City on August 21, 2024.
(Berenice Bautista/AP)
“I want to feel that despite the fragility in which these human beings live, they have acquired something that is unique, that is an almost extraordinary strength to face difficulties and that this seed is already planted in them and looks to the future,” Huezo told AP.
Three women received the Golden Ariel for their careers: art director Brigitte Broch, actress and singer Angélica María and filmmaker Busi Cortés, who recently passed away.
Below is the list of winners of the 66th annual Ariel Awards, presented on Saturday by the Mexican Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences in Guadalajara, Jalisco.
Best film
“Totem”
Address
Lila Aviles “Totem”
Actor
Noah Hernandez/ “Kokoloko”
Actress
Adriana Llabrés/ “All the silence”
Male coercion
Fernando Cuautle, “Heroic”
Female co-acting (tie)
Ludwika Paleta/“All the silence”-Montserrat Marañón/“Totem”.
Acting revelation
Naíma Sentíes, “Totem”
Original script
“Totem”
Adapted Screenplay
“Hurricane season”
Photograph
“The Echo”
Edition
“Hurricane season”
Sound
“All the silence”
Original music
“The Echo”
Art design
“Heroic”
Locker room
“Heroic”
Make-up
“Hurricane season”
Visual effects
“Disappear completely”
Special effects
“Disappear completely”
First film
“All the silence”
Documentary feature film
“The Echo”
Short documentary film
“Norte”
Short fiction film
“Apnea”
Animated short film
“there”
Ibero-American film
“The Snow Society” (Spain)
Golden Ariel
Brigitte Broch, Angelica Maria and Busi Cortes (posthumous).
