Already honored with more than 20 awards from film festivals around the world, Lila Avilés’ “Tótem” cleaned up Saturday night at the 2024 Ariel Awards, which were held in Guadalajara instead of Mexico City for the second year in a row.
The gripping drama nabbed five Arieles, or Mexican Oscars, including best picture, best director and best original screenplay, which Avilés wrote.
The movie also generated a best supporting actress award for Montserrat Marañón (in a tie with Ludwika Paleta for “All the Silence”), and a best new actor award for Naíma Sentíes.
In “Tótem,” Sentíes plays a 7-year-old girl, Sol, whose world turns upside down after she finds out her father has terminal cancer. Her performance has been praised for its authenticity and emotional depth.
“Tótem” — available on Netflix with English subtitles — was on the festival circuit much of 2023. It made its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival in February before finally opening in Mexico on Nov. 30, 2023.
“It’s been crazy,” said Avilés, 42, a Mexico City native who got her start in the film industry as an actress. “[Tótem] has taken me to more than 100 international festivals, more than 40 countries for distribution, more than 35 award nominations” (and 24 wins).
Everywhere she went, the film was “heard and resonated,” she added. “Realizing that it is the same in China as in the United States or in Australia or in Peru … In the end, even in this universe of diversity, we are all quite similar.”
The 95-minute film, recommended last year by Mexico News Daily, was Mexico’s nomination for the Academy Awards earlier this year, although it didn’t make the final list of five films that competed for best international feature.
Avilés’ busy 2023 also included the release of a Barbie doll in her image, able to hold either a movie camera or a clapboard. Mattel’s “Role Models” line also honored actresses Helen Mirren (England) and Viola Davis (U.S), music stars Shania Twain (Canada) and Kylie Minogue (Australia), comedian Enissa Amani (Germany), model Nicole Fujita (Japan) and influencer Maira Gomez (Brazil).
The 66th edition of the Ariel Awards was held at Teatro Degollado in Guadalajara and presented by the Mexican Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences. Actors Michelle Rodríguez and Kike Vázquez were the hosts.
In pursuit of awards in 24 categories, 174 films were entered, including 69 feature films and 96 shorts from Mexico, plus nine films from other countries in Latin America.
“Tótem” led the way with 15 nominations and came away with five awards.
Another top winner was “Todo el silencio” (“All the Silence”), a moving film about hearing impairment that’s available on Amazon Prime Video. Nominated for six awards, it took home four: Adriana Llabrés for best actress, Ludwika Paleta for best supporting actress, director Diego del Río for best debut feature film and best sound.
David Zonana’s “Heroico” (“Heroic”) and Elisa Miller’s “Temporada de huracanes” (“Hurricane Season”) each had 11 nominations and three wins.
The wins for “Heroic,” which addresses the reality of military institutions, were Fernando Cuautle for best supporting actor, best costume design and best art direction.
“Hurricane Season,” which explores a mother’s tumultuous relationship with her estranged daughter, won best adapted screenplay, best makeup and best editing.
Best actor went to Noé Hernández for “Kokoloko,” a drama set on the Oaxacan coast.
Other notable wins included “El eco” (“The Echo”) for best documentary, “Humo” for best animated short and “Apnea” for best fiction short. “The Echo” depicts growing up in rural Puebla.
“Mexican cinema is very special,” said Avilés, whose 2018 “La camarista” (“The Chambermaid”) earned her an Ariel Award for best debut feature and a best director nomination. “Tótem” is her second feature film.
“Every year wonderful films are released that generate a lot of talk, but more initiatives are needed to produce them,” she added.
Mexican cinema is going through a difficult time, with budget cuts following the eradication of the Film Investment and Stimulus Fund (Fidecine) in 2020.
With reports from Milenio, El País and Associated Press
