Mexico has a long and storied film history, and is world-renowned today for its dynamic, vibrant film talent. On Feb 13., President Claudia Sheinbaum (accompanied by Salma Hayek) presented a proposed reform to the country’s film law—which hasn’t been updated since 1992—to incentivize more national production and screening of Mexican films, and to attract investment. Netflix executives also said they’re moving up their timeline on a billion-dollar investment in the country announced last year.
What does all this mean for Mexico’s film industry, which has suffered in recent years from budget cuts to cultural programs? How does this position Mexico globally in film production?
My guest in this episode of The Mexpat Interview is Sarah Hoch, founder and director of the Guanajuato International Film Festival (GIFF), which will celebrate its 29th edition this year and has become one of the most important festivals in the country, particularly for young filmmakers. Our conversation ranges from the reaction to Sheinbaum’s reform, to AI and the film industry to her experiences as a gringa who lives in between two cultures.
You can listen to the audio-only version of this interview on Apple Podcasts or Spotify (please rate and review!) and the video version is also available on YouTube.
Questions, commentary or feedback? Email me: hola@themexpatriate.com. And if you would like to support my work, please subscribe below.
