In the past, the Los Cabos Film Festival has brought some of the most anticipated films of the year to Mexico. Both fictions and documentaries that later end in the awards season, the event has served to premiere all kinds of films in the country and to exhibit Mexican productions along with titles from the rest of North America, but in 2023 this will not happen.
Why was the Los Cabos Film Festival 2023 cancelled?
In a statement, the Los Cabos Film Festival has announced that, due to lack of financial support, the twelfth edition of the show will not be able to take place this year. This occurs just a few months after its traditional opening date at the beginning of November. Although they endorsed their commitment to those who have sponsored it in the past, they regretted not being able to continue with the activities for 2023:
We regret to announce the cancellation of the 2023 edition of the Los Cabos International Film Festival. We made the difficult decision due to the lack of financial support that has been vital in previous editions to carry out this important cinematographic event. 12 years ago, the Los Cabos International Film Festival emerged with the objective of strengthening Mexico’s presence abroad, fostering culture through the promotion of the national and international film industry, and promoting tourism in Los Cabos.
Los Cabos is, together with the Morelia Film Festival, one of the most important fall programs in the country. In past editions they have had the presence of important directors such as Paul Schrader, Terry Gilliam, Spike Lee and with actors such as Robert De Niro, Adam Driver and Nicole Kidman. Likewise, they have served, through the Gabriel Figueroa Fund, supporting in kind and resources to Mexican productions in development.
Although the statement does not express exactly how much support was needed or what is due to the lack of support, one wonders if this is not also a consequence of the strikes by writers and actors, which prevent them from attending this type of promotional event. With no talent on their carpets, presentations and screenings, it’s understandable that some brands may not see as much potential in offering endorsements. However, it is the public who loses out from this unfortunate cancellation.
It is even worse for the filmmakers who, like every year, sign up both to exhibit their works there and to compete for the different prizes it offers so that they can continue developing feature films. Losing a space will always be tragic when it comes to supporting the industry and national talent, which already faces considerable obstacles and represents a mammoth effort.
Just last year, Los Cabos opened with the long-awaited La Ballena (73%), a film that ended up giving Brendan Fraser an Oscar. In previous editions, it has also hosted the premiere of prestigious and acclaimed titles such as El Irlandés (100%) and Free Solo (100%). As well as Mexican films of great value such as La caída (100%), Mano de Obra (90%) and La paloma y el lobo (76%). We can only hope that the situation will improve by 2024 and by then we will be able to enjoy their programs in the Baja Californian city again.
Source: Yahoo News
