6th Mexico City International Contemporary Film Festival

The Mexico International Contemporary Film Festival (FICCO) celebrated an unusual 6th edition in 2009. The previous management, led by founder Paula Astorga and her team, departed few months before the festival started. Deep disagreements with exhibitor Cinemex — also the owner of the festival — caused the resignation and put the event in a difficult situation, which clearly affected this year’s selection of films. The new team, headed by director Raquel Cajiga and programmer Yibran Asuad, made it possible for the festival to continue, but we will have to wait until next year to truly understand their work and contributions to one of Mexico’s most important festivals.

The FIPRESCI jury focused on the Mexican documentary section and gave the prize to Our Fight (Nuestra Lucha, Mexico, 2008, HDV), directed by Jaime Rogel Román. The film is a spontaneous and straightforward story which succeeds in turning the deeply Mexican reality of anonymous fighters into a reflection of universal, human truth. (Chiara Arroyo Cella)