The Morelia International Film Festival (FICM) has revealed its official selection for the 2026 edition. Three of Mexico’s most recognized filmmakers — Diego Luna, Nicolás Pereda, and Rodrigo Plá — will compete for the top prize at the 24th edition of the festival.
The festival runs from October 16 to 25, 2026, in Morelia, Michoacán, with in-person screenings and online viewing through nuestrocine.mx. A total of 96 Mexican films will compete across four sections: Mexican Feature Film, Mexican Documentary, Mexican Short Film, and the Michoacán Section.
Diego Luna Enters Competition for the First Time as Director
Diego Luna, known globally for his role in Andor and films like Y Tu Mamá También, is competing as a director at a Mexican festival for the first time. His film “Ashes” (“Ceniza en la boca”) is his fifth work as a director.
The movie premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and was picked up by Netflix for distribution in Latin America, Spain, and Portugal. It is based on the 2022 novel by Brenda Navarro and follows a young Mexican woman who travels to Spain with her younger brother to find their mother. The story addresses migration, a theme Luna has spoken about openly.
Luna previously presented Abel at Cannes 16 years ago. Ashes is co-produced by Animal de Luz, the company run by Inna Payan, whose own directorial debut Liliana’s Invincible Summer will also stream on Netflix.
Nicolás Pereda Brings Toronto and New York Festival Title
Nicolás Pereda is competing with his film “Everything Else is Noise” (“Lo demás es ruido”). The movie was acquired by U.S. distributor Pragda before its screenings at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and the New York Film Festival (NYFF).
Pereda holds a master’s degree in cinema and media studies from York University in Canada. His work has been shown at numerous festivals nationally and internationally.
Rodrigo Plá’s Film Premiered at Locarno
Rodrigo Plá enters the competition with “The Newcomers” (“Los Nuevos”). The film had its world premiere at the Locarno Film Festival’s Kids Screenings and was picked up by sales agent Patra Spanou.
Strong Year for Mexican Cinema
The festival received 68 fiction feature submissions this year, down from the usual 80 to 100 in recent years. However, the quality of the films made the selection process especially difficult.
“This has been one of the most fruitful years for the Mexican Feature Film section, which is a great source of pride for the festival. We initially planned to select eight titles, but the exceptional quality and sensitivity of the work ultimately led us to expand the lineup to 12.”
— Rafael Aviña, FICM selection committee member
The fiction lineup includes films looking back at Mexico in the 1990s and stories about teenagers dealing with today’s challenges. The selection also features more experimental films and stories focused on childhood.
Women and Indigenous Filmmakers Well Represented
Women directed 40% of the films in the Official Selection. Four films were directed by filmmakers from Indigenous communities.
Other Notable Films in Competition
The Mexican Feature Film section includes 12 titles. Other competing films are:
- “Sad Girlz” (“Chicas tristes”) — Fernanda Tovar’s feature debut, which won the Crystal Bear and the International Jury Grand Prix at the Berlinale
- “The Huntress” (“La cazadora”) — starring Adriana Paz (Emilia Pérez), which played at Sundance
- “6 Months in the Pink and Blue Building” (“6 meses en el edificio rosa con azul”) — presented at Cannes
- “The Garden We Dreamed Of” (“El jardín que soñamos”) — by Joaquín del Paso, which premiered at Berlinale
- “Against Nature” (“Contra la naturaleza”) — by Axel Bertha
- “A Lifetime” (“Toda una vida”) — by Ariel Gutiérrez
The Mexican Documentary section includes “Dear Fátima” (“Querida Fátima”), about the murder of a teenager in the State of Mexico, which won top honors at the Guadalajara International Film Festival. Also in the documentary lineup are “Jaripeo”, about the gay community in that environment, and “The Lost Mariachis” (“Los mariachis perdidos”).
The Short Film section features 64 titles, including the directorial debut of actress Kate del Castillo with “Zumbido”.
Related:
The Ojo Award and Oscar Eligibility
Films compete for El Ojo (The Eye), a sculpture by Michoacán artist Javier Marín, along with cash and in-kind prizes.
Winning short films in the Fiction, Animation, and Documentary categories, as well as the winning documentary feature, will be eligible for automatic Oscar nomination consideration. Some short films from this year’s selection may also receive a special invitation to screen at the Cannes Critics’ Week in 2027.
The 24th Morelia International Film Festival takes place October 16-25, 2026, with screenings in Morelia and online through nuestrocine.mx.
Also Read: Marco Cavazzin’s Short Film ‘Mutrion’ Wins Best Director Award at Locarno Film Festival 2026
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