Güeros

Güeros is a 2014 Mexican road comedy-drama film written and directed by Alonso Ruizpalacios. Set in Mexico City in 1999, the film tells the story of three restless teenagers searching for a folk-rocker during the Mexican capital's student strike. The film won five Ariel Awards, including Best Picture in 2015.[1]

Güeros
Directed byAlonso Ruizpalacios
Written byAlonso Ruizpalacios
StarringTenoch Huerta Mejía
Sebastián Aguirre
CinematographyDamián García
Music byTomás Barreiro
Release date
  • 7 February 2014 (2014-02-07) (BIFF)
Running time
106 minutes
CountryMexico
LanguageSpanish

Plot

In the opening scene, a young mother takes her crying infant outside in a stroller, only to be hit by a water balloon dropped by Tomas from the rooftop of the apartment building. When Tomas' mother finds out, she decides to send him to stay with his older brother Sombra, a student in Mexico City, and Sombra's roommate Santos. After a bus ride, he arrives at his brother's home late at night. The apartment is dark without electricity. The following morning there is no breakfast. Tomas witnesses how he and his roommate can obtain electricity though the neighbor below them by communicating with a girl with Down Syndrome, who will give them an extension cord in return for a story. Tomas reads the newspaper and discovers a small note about Epigmenio Cruz, a Mexican folk rock musician, hospitalized for liver problems. Tomas, who idolizes Cruz since his father first brought a cassette of his music, suggests they search for and visit him. They get into a protest march of students, the 1999 student protests in Mexico City, and enter a hospital where Cruz had been admitted. Then they cross Mexico City to a zoo where Cruz had been working. His colleague tells them he no longer works there. They eventually find him in a bar. After Sombra heaps praise on him, Cruz falls asleep.

Reception

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 92% based on 52 reviews, with an average rating of 7.54/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "A striking effort that synthesizes disparate influences with inventive flair, Güeros marks a bold step forward for modern Mexican cinema."[2]

Awards
  • Tribeca Film Festival, Best Cinematography
  • Internationale Berliner Filmfestspiele, Best First Feature Film
  • AFI, Special Jury Mention for Screenwriting

Cast

Awards and nominations

Ariel Awards

The Ariel Awards are awarded annually by the Mexican Academy of Film Arts and Sciences in Mexico. Güeros won five awards out of 12 nominations.[1][3]

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2015 Güeros Best Picture Won
Alonso Ruizpalacios Best Director Won
Best First Feature Film Won
Best Original Screenplay Nominated
Ilse Salas Best Actress Nominated
Tenoch Huerta Best Actor Nominated
Sebastián Aguirre Breakthrough Male Performance Nominated
Tomás Barreiro Best Score Nominated
Isabel Muñoz, Pedro González, Gabriel Teyna, and Kyoshi Osawa Best Sound Won
Yibrán Asuad and Ana García Best Film Editing Nominated
Sandra Cabriada Best Art Direction Nominated
Damián García Best Cinematography Won

Further reading

References
  1. "Ganadores de los premios Ariel 2015" (in Spanish). Morelia International Film Festival. May 27, 2015. Retrieved October 20, 2016.
  2. "Güeros". Rotten Tomatoes.
  3. "Lista completa de nominaciones a los premios Ariel 2015" (in Spanish). Morelia International Film Festival. April 13, 2015. Retrieved October 20, 2016.
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