2009 AFI Dallas Film Festival - Morenita

(Mexico, 2008, 92 mins)
In Spanish with English subtitles
HDCam
North American Premiere
Directed By: Alan Jonsson Gavica
Cinematographer: Emiliano Villanueva
Editor: Ana Garcia
Cast: Ignacio Lopez Tarso

Homing pigeons, drug lords and the Virgin Mary—all these elements come into play in Morenita. Add familial ties and the testing of one's faith and the result is an extraordinary film.

This is the story of Mateo Cruz, who is out of options to repay a debt. He takes a revered religious icon and holds it for ransom. By doing so, Mateo sets off a complicated chain of events. This is a movie that explores how desperation can take even the best of us to our darkest side. But that kind of choice is never without consequence. Writer and director Alan Jonsson Gavica and cinematographer Emiliano Villanueva weave a graceful tale that displays both the danger and the majestic beauty of Mexico. With top-notch acting and stunning production design, Morenita feeds the heart and the mind. Good people in a bad situation? Extreme circumstances leading to extreme measures? Regardless of where you stand on the moral issue, Morenita will wholly involve you.

Information from the festival's website