YCP Mentor Wins Big at Ventana Sur 2024!

You were born and raised in Mexico. Could you share which part of Mexico you’re from and any special memories or details about your hometown?

I was born in Mexico City but raised in the small countryside town of Ocotepec, in the state of Morelos. The town’s name comes from Náhuatl and refers to a mountain or land of pine trees. It is known for its rich traditions, including its Day of the Dead celebration. That pastoral, mystical setting has always influenced my work, as it is where both my fondest and hardest memories took place.

You wrote and directed your debut film, Lux Noctis. Can you tell us about its storyline and what inspired you to make it?

Lux Noctis tells the story of an isolated matriarchal community where, in the face of the brutal coming-of-age rituals women must endure to ensure their survival, Lina develops a forbidden relationship with a man and burns the status quo to the ground, lighting the path for a new way of life. It is inspired by my own personal journey following the death of my sister.

The journey into this next phase of your career began with your application for a $1M grant from the Mexican government. Could you share the name of the grant and describe the process of securing it?

EFICINE is a Mexican fiscal incentive coordinated through the Mexican Film Institute (IMCINE), which grants Mexican independent films the opportunity to secure funding for production. Securing funds through it is an incredibly competitive and complex process. Lux Noctis’s producing team (Mexico-based Francisco Sánchez Solís, Eduardo Lecuona and Javier Sepúlveda, as well as U.S.-based co-producer Valerie Steinberg) and I are proud to have been approved for the aforementioned amount and are forever grateful for the existence of such an organization, which enables and promotes films in our country.

What inspired you to submit your film to Ventana Sur 2024, the most important market for audiovisual content in Latin America?

I am fortunate to be working with a great team of producers who have not only attended Ventana Sur in the past but have also produced successful and renowned Mexican genre films, such as Michelle Garza’s Huesera: The Bone Woman and Isaac Ezban’s Párvulos. The market has been a great platform for them in the past, and I was happy to follow their advice.

Before you submitted your film, you weren’t aware that you’d be entering a competition. How did you feel when you found out? What was your reaction upon learning you had won 5 out of the 9 awards? 

After a couple of hectic weeks balancing commercial shoots in Mexico City, teaching at YCP back in Los Angeles, and preparing our materials for Montevideo (where the market took place), I attended a pre-pitch session. There, we were given the chance to pitch our projects and receive feedback (which is not that common and an exercise I highly recommend). During that session, I learned that some of the jury members were in attendance and that awards would be granted based on the quality of our pitches.

When I heard “Cannes” and “Sitges” (two life-long dream festivals of mine), I realized how high the stakes were and how much rested on the pitch itself. I didn’t sleep much the following night, adjusting and polishing the pitch—recording myself for hours on end with my phone to build confidence speaking to a large audience.

We pitched within the Blood Window section (the category for genre films), and I never imagined we would win 5 of the 9 awards. These included pitching at Cannes within the Fantastic Pavilion, pitching at SITGES (International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia), pitching at the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFFF), pitching at TerrorMolins (where we won the TerrorMolins Horror Talent award), and participating in Spain’s 2025 EGEDA’s Platino Next Gen edition.

My cheeks hurt for a while after smiling so much during the awards ceremony.

What does this accomplishment mean to you, and what’s next in your creative journey?

Making films is hard. Making your first feature film is really, really hard. The support of these platforms and institutions helps you keep going—it helps me keep climbing and working with all my heart to make this dream come true. Over the next few months, we’ll be traveling to various festivals and markets to promote our project. Our main goal will be to consolidate the funds necessary to move into production.

You’re also a YCP mentor. What does this role mean to you, and how has it impacted your work or perspective?

I am passionately chasing an almost impossible dream. Being able to show these kids from underrepresented communities—who are so often overlooked—that they too can dream big, and actually teaching them tools to pursue what I believe is the most fascinating career, has been a truly enriching and energizing experience. Beyond the inspiration and refreshing energy I’ve gained from them, teaching on a weekly basis has provided me with a rare constant in our ever-fluctuating and nerve-wracking industry.

I am forever grateful to be part of this incredible YCP/LFI community, where I’ve felt so welcomed, supported, and uplifted over the past few months.