Films Screened at ficmonterrey Win Five Ariel Awards

On Sunday evening, the 62^nd Ariel Awards ceremony took place, organized by the Mexican Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences.

The event was held virtually due to the current pandemic and hosted by the actress Verónica Toussaint and filmmaker Roberto Fiesco. During the event, several Mexican films that have been screened at the Monterrey International Film Festival were awarded. These were: Asfixia directed by Kenya Márquez, Sanctorum from Joshua Gil, and Belzebuth from Emilio Portes.

Asfixia, a film that competed in the official selection of ficmonterrey 15^th edition, took home two trophies for Best Supporting Actress and Best Supporting Actor awarded to Mónica del Carmen and Raúl Briones. This film is available on www.cinepolisklic.com and itunes.apple.com platforms.

Galo Durán of Sanctorum, the film that won Best Mexican Feature Film at this year’s ficmonterrey edition, received the Best Original Score award. Also, the film Belzebuth, screened at our festival last year, won the categories of Best Visual Effects for the work of Othón Reynoso, Thomas Boda, Jonatan Guzmán, Ricardo Robles, Paula Siqueira, Juan Lazzarini, Amilcar Herrera, Cris Cruz, Eddie Mendoza and Cyntia Navarro, and Best Special Effects by Ricardo Arvizu.

Belzebuth is available on Amazon Prime Video, while Sanctorum will be available during the next edition of Mórbido Film Festival from October 31 through November 6.

During the ceremony, Mexican actress María Rojo received the Golden Ariel. She had previously been awarded the Cabrito de Cristal at the Monterrey International Film Festival’s eighth edition, recognizing her as an Icon of Mexico’s Cinema. The award was presented by the film director Felipe Cazal.

The gala event provided an opportunity for industry members, among these the President of the Mexican Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences, Mónica Lozano, to demand public policies that support filmmaking and cultural activities. It also allowed expressing “It is time,” claiming equality in conditions and respect for women, which she also manifested by wearing a red handkerchief with this slogan.

This year, 157 films were submitted: 68 Mexican feature films, 12 Latin American feature films, and 77 short films.

The following is the list of this year’s winners:

Best Supporting Actor: Raúl Briones for Asfixia

Best Supporting Actress: Mónica del Carmen for Asfixia

Best Makeup: María Elena López and Itzel Peña García for Ya no estoy aquí

Best Fiction Short Film: Las desaparecidas from Astrid Domínguez

Best Short Documentary: Lorena, la de pies ligeros from Juan Carlos Rulfo

Best Animated Short Film: Dalia sigue aquí from Nuria Menchaca

Best Visual Effects: Othón Reynoso, Thomas Boda, Jonatan Guzmán, Ricardo Robles, Paula Siqueira, Juan Lazzarini, Amilcar Herrera, Chris Cruz, Eddy Mendoza and Cyntia Navarro for Belzebuth

Best Special Effects: Ricardo Arvizu for Belzebuth

Best Film Editing: Yibrán Asuad and Fernando Frías de la Parra for Ya no estoy aquí

Best Sound: Javier Umpierrez (sound design), Yuri Laguna and Olaitan Agueh (direct sound), Michelle Couttolenc and Jaime Baksht (sound mixing) for Ya no estoy aquí

Best Original Score: Jacobo Lieberman for Sonora and Galo Durán for Sanctorum

Best Actor Revelation: Juan Daniel García for Ya no estoy aquí

Best Costume Design: Malena de la Riva and Gabriela Fernández for Ya no estoy aquí

Best Art Design: Taísa Malouf Rodrigues and Gino Fortebuono for Ya no estoy aquí

Best Cinematography: Damián García for Ya no estoy aquí

Best Latin American Feature Film: Dolor y gloria from Pedro Almodóvar

Best Orignal Screenplay: Fernando Frías de la Parra for Ya no estoy aquí

Best Adapted Screenplay: John Sayles and Guillermo Munro Palacio for Sonora

Best Debut Feature: Mano de obra from David Zonana

Best Animated Feature: Olimpia from José Manuel Cravioto

Best Documentary Feature: El guardián de la memoria from Marcela Arteaga

Best Actor: Luis Alberti for Mano de obra

Best Actress: Edwarda Gurrola for Luciérnagas

Best Director: Fernando Frías de la Parra for Ya no estoy aquí

Best Picture: Ya no estoy aquí from Fernando Frías de la Parra

Golden Ariel: María Rojo, actress, and Lucía Álvarez, composer.