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Introduction

Mexico, USA, France / 2024 / 125 min
Director：Astrid RONDERO / Fernanda VALADEZ

In rural Michoacán, a hotspot for drug trafficking, Sujo was born to a hitman father but then orphaned at age four. His aunt, Nemesia, who lives in a remote hilltop home, takes him in after the rules of the cartel make him a target. He grows up among danger, with　Rosalia who has a sisterly bond with Nemesia, and Rosalia’s two sons. As he matures, he begins to uncover the bloody legacy his father has bequeathed him. A coming-of-age story that portrays a boy's patient journey to find his own path amid cycles of violence. Although direct violence rarely appears on screen, the audience acutely senses its ever-present, looming threat. The film through its masterful script effectively blends realism and lyricism, depicting the violence and intergenerational trauma fueled by the cartel's activities. Like filmmaking duo Astrid Rondero and Fernanda Valadez’s last feature "Identifying Features" (2020), this film was also screened at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Special Jury Award.

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