Guanajuato Film Festival 2026 crowns 'Las lágrimas de Bael' as best Mexican fiction

The 29th Guanajuato International Film Festival (GIFF) ran from July 24 to August 2, showcasing 203 films from 55 countries and featuring tributes to prominent Mexican women filmmakers. The event highlighted both artistic and technological programs.

In the competition for Mexican fiction, Hugo Villaseñor’s neo‑noir thriller "Las lágrimas de Bael" won the Best Mexican Feature Film award. The film, presented as a faux documentary, explores themes of pain and vengeance and will be distributed by Piano with a national theatrical release planned for 2027. Other Mexican winners included the documentary "Nuestro cuerpo es una estrella que se expande" and the short film "La Virgen de Guadalupe".

The festival also honored actresses Cecilia Suárez, Marina de Tavira and Inna Payán, and continued its role as a platform for emerging filmmakers through its university documentary contest.