Four films, two Mexican directors and a fresh look at Mexico through cinema, culture and cross-border conversation.

Mexican cinema arrives in Bangkok this September, with audiences invited to see a side of Mexico far beyond its familiar images. The films look at Mexico’s history, everyday life, social realities and cultural identity, from personal stories to wider political and social questions.

Co-hosted by Baturu, UNAM and Chulalongkorn University, with support from the Embassy of Mexico, the first Mexican Film Festival in Bangkok brings Mexican stories to a new audience in Thailand. The festival runs from 1 and 3–4 September, with the opening night at Baturu Incubator Space before the programme moves to the Dr. Tiem Chokwadhana Auditorium at the Faculty of Communication Arts, Chulalongkorn University.

But this is not just a film showcase. It is a chance for Thailand and Mexico to meet through cinema, with stories that can spark new conversations across cultures.

The conversation also goes beyond the screen. Directors Alfonso Coronel and Valentina Leduc will join the festival in Bangkok for post-screening Q&A sessions, with audiences able to hear directly from the filmmakers about their work and the ideas behind it.

Meet the Filmmakers

The festival goes beyond the films with exclusive post-screening Q&A sessions featuring directors Alfonso Coronel and Valentina Leduc. Each session offers a closer look at the ideas, research and creative choices behind two very different films.

On 3 September, Alfonso Coronel joins Thai film critics for a post-screening talk on La Bola (2026), a UNAM-produced documentary that uses AI to rework archive footage from Mexico’s early cinema and revisit the Mexican Revolution.

On 4 September, director Valentina Leduc joins a special talk on Los sueños que compartimos / The Dreams We Share (2025), a film shot over three years that follows local communities as they defend their land against powerful multinational corporations. 

What’s Screening?

The first Mexican Film Festival in Bangkok brings four films to Bangkok, with each one offering a different look at Mexican history, identity, society and culture.

Los sueños que compartimos (The Dreams We Share) (2025)
Dir. Valentina Leduc
Date: 1 September at 7pm at Baturu Incubator Space

Filmed over three years, Valentina Leduc’s debut documentary follows communities across Mexico, Germany and Spain as they defend their land, water and natural environment against powerful corporations and development projects. From Zapatista communities in Chiapas to environmental activists in Germany and families protecting ancestral forests in Spain, the film connects different places through a shared fight for community rights and environmental protection.

La Bola (2026)
Dir. Alfonso Coronel
Date: 3 September at 1:30pm at Dr. Tiem Chokwadhana Auditorium, Faculty of Communication Arts, Chulalongkorn University 

Using AI to reinterpret archive footage from Mexico’s early cinema pioneers, La Bola takes a new look at the Mexican Revolution and the birth of a nation. The documentary revisits a defining period in Mexican history while questioning how national identity and historical narratives take shape.

Se busca (2026)
Dir. Kenya Márquez
Date: 4 September at 1:10pm at Dr. Tiem Chokwadhana Auditorium, Faculty of Communication Arts, Chulalongkorn University

Through René’s story, Se busca follows a lonely teenager who leaves home for Ciudad Juárez on a 2,000-kilometre journey. Her escape becomes a personal search for identity, freedom and a sense of belonging. 

Luna negra (Black Moon) (2023)
Dir. Tonatiuh García
Date: 4 September at 3pm at Dr. Tiem Chokwadhana Auditorium, Faculty of Communication Arts, Chulalongkorn University

Three siblings find themselves caught up in a town’s fight to protect its river. The story brings family, community and environmental concerns together through a local struggle over the future of the town.

The festival offers a chance to see Mexico through its filmmakers and stories, while opening a wider conversation between Mexican and Thai perspectives.