Bellas de Noche
An exploration of Mexican cinemaGuest presentation
Sessions
| Sunday, 15 April 2018 | 15:00 | La Maison du Cinéma |
An exploration of Mexican cinema
In collaboration with the Consulate General of Mexico in Montreal
In presence of the director
MORELIA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL FICM 2016: Best Documentary Award + Best Documentary Directed by a Woman Award + Press Award
LOS CABOS FILM FESTIVAL 2016: Audience Award
MEXICO CITY HONOR AWARD Movie of the Year 2016
PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL PSIFF 2017 Spetial Mention for Outstanding Firts Documentary Feauture
TUCSON CINE MEXICO “Jaguar Award” for the most impressive directoral debut
INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL PANAMÁ People’s Choice Award for Best Documentary Film
Exotic feathers, high heels, sequins, statuesque bodies, jewels, champagne: these are the most widespread memories of the glamorous world of Mexico’s showgirls, now that those cabarets – where they reined supreme as queens of the night – no longer exist. “Beauties of the Night” begins forty years after the show ended.
The relentless passing of time, lost youth, the mirage of fame, the pursuit of happiness are realities and challenges that these women have embraced with strength and perseverance to finding their own way and reinventing themselves maintaining their independence and freedom.
From naked bodies to souls laid bare, this film offers an unvarnished portrait of five women who lasted through the night and emerged to new possibilities of beauty. “Beauties of the Night”is an universally inspirational film, it’s a celebration of life and of the female voice.
María José Cuevas
María José Cuevas’ practice draws from her experience in documentary, experimental video, design and photography. She has collaborated in diverse cultural projects. Her video works have screened at different festivals and art venues in Mexico and abroad, including ZONEMA – Chelsea Center for the Arts (Nueva York), STUTTGARTER FILMWINTER – Festival for Expanded Media (Alemania), VIDEOZONE – International Video-Art Bienal in Israel (Israel), TRANSITIO_MX – Festival Internacional de Artes Electrónicas y Video (México), IFCT – Festival Internacional de Cine y Tecnología (Estados Unidos), International Women´s Film Festival (Cologne, Alemania), ALUCINE – Toronto Latino Film and Video Festival (Canadá), Museo Patio Herreriano (Valladolid, España), Museo de Arte Contemporáneo (Colombia) VIDEOFORMES: Art video et Nouveaux Medias (Francia), MUCA: Museo Universitario de Ciencias y Artes (México), OAXACA CINE (México), AMBULANTE: Gira de Documentales (México y California, E.U) and more.
Her documentary feature BEAUTIES OF THE NIGHT was awarded three times at the Morelia International Film Festival FICM 2016 with the “Jury Prize for the Best Documentary”, the “Jury Prize for the Best Documentary Directed by a Woman” and the “Press Award” It also won the “Audience Award” at Los Cabos International Film Festival 2016, received a Spetial Mention for “Outstanding Firts Documentary Feauture” at Palm Springs International Film Festival 2017 and “Best Film of the Year “by the Mexico City Awards 2016. It has also been part of other festivals such as Telluride Film Festival 2016, Toronto Film Festival TIFF 2016, IDFA – International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam 2016, Ambulante Tour de Documentaries 2016 And at the International Film Festival of Cartagena de Indias 2017.
BELLAS DE NOCHE has participated in different programs and workshops such as the BINGER FILMLAB 2010 in Amsterdam, Holland, as well as in the BAL (Buenos Aires Lab within the framework of the Buenos Aires International Independent Film Festival BAFICI 2010), in the Doc Lab of FICG 2011 (Guadalajara International Film Festival) and in Cabos in Progress 2015 (Los Cabos International Film Festival).