Land of Mine

The making of Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Babel is chronicled through an observational approach that captures the creative and logistical challenges of filming a deeply interconnected narrative across four continents. Directed by Carlos Armella and Pedro González-Rubio, the documentary reveals Iñárritu’s commitment to authenticity and cultural sensitivity, from collaborating with local actors and communities to meticulously recreating environments. Through behind-the-scenes footage and the director’s reflective commentary, it delves into themes of human connection, the boundaries we hold within ourselves, and the visceral nature of communication, offering profound insights into the philosophy behind the acclaimed film.

Before leaving for Rome with his mother, five year old Natan is taken by his father, Jorge, on an epic journey to the pristine Chinchorro reef off the coast of Mexico. As they fish, swim, and sail the turquoise waters of the open sea, Natan discovers the beauty of his Mayan heritage and learns to live in harmony with life above and below the surface, as the bond between father and son grows stronger before their inevitable farewell.

In memory of the Japanese earthquake on 3.11, each director presents a 3 minute and 11 second short film in tribute to those who were lost that day.

The life on Zapotal Santa Cruz, a little town in Veracruz, Mexico. Canícula follows the school of the Dance of the Flyers and the people who surrounds the zone where youngs learn an ancient Mesoamerican ceremony performed by totonacs during the summer.

Coral, a 7 year old girl, goes to the construction site of a house in the beaches of Puerto Escondido Oaxaca every day after school to visit his godfather Diego. She waits for hours for Diego to take her home, spending time creating her own pieces and transforming her little universe. While she waits, Coral meets Oriente, a carpenter that hopes to see again his family in a faraway town.

Ugo, magician and “grouchician” (as he defines himself), lives from drink to drink in a crowded, eclectic working-class neighborhood that seems like a setting from another era – a place where working is frowned upon and one can have anything except for obligations. There, he drags his feet on an existentialist nighttime walk, wandering through the labyrinthine refuge of the neighborhood streets in his own mind.

In the late 1970s, Marcel fled Catalonia to avoid conscription into the Spanish military. For 30 years he has been living in the tropical forests of Costa Rica, where he hosts ayahuasca ceremonies for young seekers from the West.

Magos Herrera and Paola Prestini created a strategy through music to build community and foster empathy in a time of uncertainty and pain. From this collaboration, and with the participation of more than 30 outstanding international musicians, the album "Con Alma" (With Soul) was born, and a tour to finally bring the conversation of care to the UN Headquarters.

A group of UNAM students and their teacher prepare Antigone, a Greek tragedy that addresses the conflict between the rules of power and the will of a young woman to do the right thing. Life, theater and fiction are interwoven following the montage in the halls, in their homes, in public spaces and surrealist landscapes of the city.

'Born Without' is a documentary about severely handicapped Mexican actor and musician Jose Flores. "Born without arms and other limbs, Jose supports his large family by playing the harmonica throughout Mexico. In the face of adversity, he shows great courage and spiritual strength. This is a film with multiple layers. It is about sharing, daring and being grateful for what we have. It is also an exploration of social values, some of them controversial. Many of Jose's choices have been strongly criticized by his family and people around him. As a result, this is also a film about self discovery: a way to explore what we judge ... and what we choose to accept and forgive."

The pigeon is probably fake, says the five-year-old daughter of Mexican filmmaker Eugenio Polgovsky. Perhaps it’s a robot. Why else would a pigeon sit so still on that nest she built atop the power lines, diagonally under their window? For seven days and nights, Polgovsky filmed the bird from his second floor apartment. Together with daughter Mile, he watches life go by: the bin men, the neighbours and their dogs, the gas delivery man, the squirrels dashing through the treetops in search of food. All from the same perspective – basically identical to that of the brooding pigeon, who gets most attention. "Papa, why are you filming her, really?"