Rosario Castellanos’ words and legacy resonated at UNAM

An exceptional day was experienced yesterday at the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters (FFL), where the student community commemorated two anniversaries: the centenary of this educational center, affiliated with the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), and the 50th anniversary of the death of the writer Rosario Castellanos, whose words and thoughts continue to resonate in Mexican culture and literature.

At noon, hundreds of young people came to the main hall to see the screening of The goodbyes (2018), a film directed by Natalia Beristáin, which narrates Castellanos’ life from her youth to her consecration as one of the most important national writers, as well as her turbulent love relationship with the philosopher Ricardo Guerra.

The highlight came with the presence of actress Karina Gidi (the film’s protagonist), who gave a talk at the end of the broadcast.

Redemption of Letters to Richard

As an introduction, Mary Frances Rodríguez Van Gort, director of the faculty, recalled Castellanos’ relationship with the institution and announced the reissue of the book Letters to Richard, personal work of the author, which will be available from August 26.

Rosario was a student, teacher and graduate of ours. Some of the scenes of this film were filmed at the faculty and the library.said Rodriguez Van Gort.

During the screening, the students were serious and respectful, immersed in the intimate and powerful narrative of the film. However, at the end of the screening, the atmosphere changed dramatically. With her charisma and depth, the actress managed to turn the classroom into a space of learning and emotion, while the applause and cheers reflected the admiration of the spectators.

In a conversation with the poet and researcher Eva Castañeda, Karina Gidi (Xalapa, 1972) shared her experiences and reflections on interpreting Rosario Castellanos (1925-1974) in The goodbyes.

When Natalia invited Daniel Giménez Cacho and me to play Ricardo and Rosario, we of course said yes, even before the script existed. The combination of working with a talented cast and with Beristáin’s direction was enough to get me on board with this project that required a high degree of commitment and sensitivity.

Gidi faced a particular challenge: capturing the essence of a figure as revered as Castellanos, without reducing her to a mere icon. It took me days to convince myself and understand that the important thing was to think of her as a person of flesh and blood.he added.

I had to find a balance between respect and authenticity, avoiding falling into imitation or a documentary approach, and transgressing the marble figure, the poster, and the name used in schools, bookstores, avenues or artistic forums.

The students took the opportunity to ask Gidi about her interpretation and, in particular, about the vision of motherhood that the writer captured in her works, since the author of Dust trajectory (1948), describes it as a feat, but also expresses some rejection due to how the experience occupied his body.

Mother of two daughters, Karina Gidi responded: “For Chayo, being a mother was a huge blessing, just as it is for me. Motherhood has made me a better person, but in the middle of filming I thought a lot about my daughters and how to protect them from the injustices and gender violence that persist. I want to protect them from people who want to break their typewriters like they did to her.”

Rosario’s legacy is immeasurable. Her voice remains essential to the feminist struggle and to reflect on our society. Her life and work invite us to question, to learn and to continue fighting for a more just and equal world. Playing her was an honor and a responsibility that left a deep mark on me.

The projection of The goodbyes was part of the international conference The Space of the Humanities: Dialogues in the Inter and Transdisciplinary Construction of New Approaches for the Strengthening and Presence of the FFL in the Problems of Mexico, which concludes today with four activities, including a keynote lecture chaired by the writer and linguist Yásnaya Aguilar at 10 a.m. in the main hall.

Hours before the film screening, researcher Javier Muñoz-Basols gave a talk Digital linguistic bias in artificial intelligence in Spanish, in which he proposed that teachers and students should use this technological tool for learning and not just for entertainment.