Foundations of Mexican Independent Cinema – Day 2

Curated by film scholar Valerie Pires, Memory Imprinted in Reels is the second part of the two‑day initiative , an exploration of how the groundbreaking 1960s collective Grupo Nuevo Cine—formed by Spanish exiles and Mexican and Latin American artists—revolutionized independent cinema in Mexico and continues to influence filmmakers today. Through a dialogue between early experimental films (Day 1) and contemporary works (Day 2), the program maps a creative lineage rooted in innovation, artistic freedom, and cross‑cultural exchange.

Building on , which revisited foundational works such as The Blue Lobster, Remedios Varo: 1913–1963, and the restored classic On the Empty Balcony, Day 2 brings the initiative into the present, highlighting artists who reinterpret and expand this legacy.

Day 2 explores how new generations of filmmakers engage with the memory, experimentation, and personal archives that shaped Grupo Nuevo Cine. Through two films that blend documentary, essay, and intimate reflection, the program highlights the enduring impact of this groundbreaking cinematic movement. The screenings will be followed by a conversation with participating scholars and filmmakers

By Mexican filmmaker Issa García Ascot.
This poetic essay film revisits the creative legacy of her father, Jomi García Ascot, offering a deeply personal perspective on the intergenerational transmission of memory and artistic influence.

By Spanish filmmaker Celia Viada Caso, winner of the Spanish First Prize at L’Alternativa Official (32 Festival de Cinema Independent de Barcelona). Through family archives and evocative visual storytelling, the film reflects on roots, displacement, and homecoming.

Together, these works show how the spirit of Grupo Nuevo Cine continues to echo—imprinted in reels—through new generations of filmmakers.

A post‑screening discussion will feature:

Professor Breixo Viejo · Valerie Pires · Professor Richard Peña ·
Diego García Elío · Rodrigo García · Luis Juárez ·
Celia Viada Caso · Issa García Ascot · Professor Ron Gregg

Film and Media Studies · Columbia University Film Program ·
Hispanic Institute for Latin American and Iberian Cultures ·
Institute for Latin American Studies · Center for Mexico and Central America ·
The Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race (CSER) · El Equilibrista Editorial

Image from the film A Way of Saying/Una manera de decir (Issa García Ascot, 2011).

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