Wikipedia

Valentina or the Serenity

Valentina or the Serenity (Spanish: Valentina o la serenidad) is a 2023 Mexican drama film written, co-produced and directed by Ángeles Cruz.[1] Starring Danae Ahuja Aparicio who plays a little girl who will use her imagination to face the premature death of her father.[2] It had its world premiere at the 48th Toronto International Film Festival on 8 September 2023 as part of the Discovery section.[3]

Valentina or the Serenity
Promotional release poster
Directed byÁngeles Cruz
Written byÁngeles Cruz
Produced byIsis Ahumada
Myriam Bravo
Ángeles Cruz
StarringDanae Ahuja Aparicio
CinematographyCarlos Correa
Edited byFelipe Gómez
Music byMaria Alejandra Hernandez
Rubén Luengas
Production
company
IMCINE
Distributed byPiano
Release dates
  • September 8, 2023 (2023-09-08) (TIFF)
  • September 26, 2024 (2024-09-26) (Mexico)
Running time
86 minutes
CountryMexico
LanguagesSpanish
Mixtec

Synopsis

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Valentina is a happy, adventurous, enthusiastic and curious little girl in her environment full of nature, characteristic of the town of Villa Guadalupe Victoria, Oaxaca where she lives. One day, she receives the news that her father died in a river accident in the middle of a stormy night. However, she clings to her imagination and the promise that her father told her to return with a gift, causing discomfort in the rest of her family who don't know how to make her understand that her father will never return.[4]

Cast

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  • Danae Ahuja Aparicio as Valentina
  • Myriam Bravo as Valentina's mom
  • Alexander Gadiel Mendoza Sanchéz as Pedro

Production

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Development

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Ángeles Cruz was inspired by her own personal experiences related to death, especially the sudden death of her father when she was 9 years old, which changed the perspective of her world.[5] In 2020, during confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic, her younger brother died, which forced her to face the death of a loved one again and was the motivation for making the film.[6] That same year the first draft of the script was completed.[7]

Filming

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Principal photography began on August 15, 2022, in Villa de Guadalupe Victoria, Oaxaca, where the director is originally from.[8][9]

Release

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Festivals

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It had its world premiere on September 8, 2023, in the Discovery section of the 48th Toronto International Film Festival,[10] then screened on October 23, 2023, at the 21st Morelia International Film Festival,[11] on November 14, 2023, at the 8th International Indigenous Film Festival in Wallmapu,[12] on November 15, 2023, at the 49th Huelva Ibero-American Film Festival,[13] on March, 17, 2024, at the Cinélatino Festival Rencontres de Toulouse,[14] on April 9, 2024, at the 48th Cleveland International Film Festival,[15] on May 17, 2024, at the 50th Seattle International Film Festival,[16] and on May, 22, 2024, at the 77th Cannes Film Festival.[17][18]

Theatrical

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It is scheduled to be released commercially on September 26, 2024, in Mexican theaters.[19]

Accolades

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Year Award / Festival Category Recipient Result Ref.
2023 21st Morelia International Film Festival Best Feature Film Valentina or the Serenity Nominated [20]
49th Huelva Ibero-American Film Festival Colón de Oro Won [21]
Best Performance Myriam Bravo Won
Most Supportive Film Award Valentina or the Serenity Won
Broken Heart Award Won
2024 Festival Ojoloco du Cinéma Ibérique et Latino-Américain de Grenoble Prix Du Jury Étudiant Won [22]
48th Cleveland International Film Festival International Narrative Competition - Best Feature Film Nominated [23][24]
50th Seattle International Film Festival Ibero American Competition - Grand Jury Prize Nominated [25]
66th Ariel Awards Best Supporting Actress Myriam Bravo Nominated [26][27]
Best Breakthrough Performance Danae Ahuja Aparicio Nominated
Best Original Screenplay Ángeles Cruz Nominated

References

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  1. ^ "Premiere de "Valentina o la serenidad", segundo largometraje de Ángeles Cruz". EDUCA (in Spanish). 2023-09-04. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  2. ^ "Infancia y duelo: Ángeles Cruz estrenó VALENTINA O LA SERENIDAD en el 21er FICM". Morelia Film Festival (in Spanish). 2023-10-23. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  3. ^ "LatAm premiere: Ángeles Cruz, directora de "Valentina o la serenidad"". LatAm cinema. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  4. ^ "Valentina o la serenidad: El duelo visto desde la infancia". Sopitas.com. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  5. ^ "Valentina o la serenidad, de Ángeles Cruz, y las ausencias que cura el bosque". IMCINE. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  6. ^ "Valentina o la serenidad, de Ángeles Cruz: la pérdida desde la mirada infantil". Gobierno de México (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  7. ^ Rodríguez, Andrés (2023-09-13). "Valentina o la serenidad, un abrazo de la infancia a la vida y a la muerte". El País México (in Mexican Spanish). Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  8. ^ "Con toda la actitud empezamos nuestra 3a. Semana de rodaje..." Instagram. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  9. ^ Calderón, Lucero (2023-09-09). "Largometraje 'Valentina o la serenidad' de la mixteca oaxaqueña a Toronto". Excélsior (in Mexican Spanish). Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  10. ^ "Valentina or the Serenity". Toronto International Film Festival. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  11. ^ "Presenta Festival Internacional de Cine de Morelia la programación de su 21ª edición". Mi Morelia (in Spanish). 2023-09-20. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  12. ^ "Valentina o la serenidad película de la directora Ángeles Cruz, se estrena en Wallmapu". Radio Kurruf (in Spanish). 2023-11-10. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  13. ^ "Valentina o la serenidad". Festival de Huelva (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  14. ^ "Nuestra película VALENTINA O LA SERENIDAD Tiene su estreno Francés..." Instagram. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  15. ^ "Valentina or the Serenity". Cleveland International Film Festival. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  16. ^ "SIFF is coming to Pacific Place". Gossip & Glamour. 2024-08-27. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  17. ^ "Sélections". Cannes Cinéma (in French). Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  18. ^ "En recorrido por festivales, "Valentina o la Serenidad" llega a Cannes". NVI Noticias (in Spanish). 2024-08-27. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  19. ^ "Valentina o la serenidad estrenará en septiembre en México". Versus Media México (in Spanish). 2024-08-28. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  20. ^ Rodríguez, Andrés (2023-10-28). "'Tótem' gana el premio a Mejor Largometraje en el Festival de Cine de Morelia". El País México (in Mexican Spanish). Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  21. ^ "La mexicana 'Valentina o la serenidad' gana el Colón de Oro del 49 Festival de Huelva de Cine Iberoamericano". Festival de Huelva (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  22. ^ "Gana "Valentina o la Serenidad" premios en festival internacional en Francia". Zona Roja (in Spanish). 2024-04-08. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  23. ^ "International Narrative Competition - Nominated Films". Cleveland International Film Festival. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  24. ^ "CIFF48 Winners". Cleveland International Film Festival. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  25. ^ "Gloria!, Sing Sing, A New Kind of Wilderness, We Strangers, Through Rocks and Clouds and City of Wind win top awards at 50th Seattle International Film Festival". Seattle International Film Festival. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  26. ^ "Nominaciones al Ariel 2024". IMCINE. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  27. ^ Pérez, Fernanda (2024-09-08). "Todos los ganadores de los Premios Ariel 2024". Vogue (in Mexican Spanish). Retrieved 2024-09-08.
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