Mexican filmmaker Michel Franco’s new dystopian drama triumphs at Venice Film Festival

Mexican film New Order by Michel Franco won Friday the Leoncino d’Oro granted by the Young Jury at the Venice International Film Festival .

The jury, that watches all the films in the competition, decided to grant the prize to the Mexican film, which they said was relevant and with a positive side.

New Order

is a dystopian story, a word that alludes to the negative aspects of a society, that is focused on a wealthy family celebrating a marriage while there is a social subversion due to inequality.

“It’s an award given by young people; we are very happy,” said Franco on a phone interview from Venice with EL UNIVERSAL.

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“What I’ve been told by journalists and people is that they see themselves represented since it is a global story that understands them” he added.

The award was received by Franco with the presence of actors Darío Yazbek and Diego Boneta, as well as producer Cristina Velasco Lozano.

This is the first time the Mexican filmmaker attends Venice as a director after he went on 2015 with From Afar , which won the Golden Lion and where he participated as a co-producer.

Franco has previously won in Cannes with the films After Lucia, Chronic, and April’s Daughter.

New Order

held its red carpet and screening with an audience that applauded during the whole final credits section.

“It was a very positive answer and everyone says this is my most commercial film or for a wider audience; they liked the energy very much; it was done with camera in hand and that is agile and gives another rhythm, so they tell me,” he added.

New Order

has already been sold to Italy and other countries; it still does not have a release date in Mexico .

This is the fifth time in the last six years that Mexico wins one of the main prizes at the Venice International Film Festival.

The production won the Silver Lion with the Jury’s Grand Prize, whose president was U.S. actress Cate Blanchett.

“Viva México and keep giving us support in our country to bring great news,” said the filmmaker when he received the award as economic resources for national cinema tumble.

The awards ceremony was also attended by the film’s cast led by Naian González Norvind, Diego Boneta, and Darío Yazbek, as well as producer Cristina Velasco.

The Golden Lion was won by U.S. film Nomadland by Chloé Zhao, while Best Direction was for Japanese Kiyoshi Kurosawa for Spy no tsuma .

Since 2015, Mexico has been present at the main awards of the so-called Mostra after From Afar , co-produced by Franco , won the Golden Lion to Best Film.

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In 2016, it was the turn of filmmaker Amat Escalante to win the Silver Lion for Direction for The Untamed , while in 2017 and 2018 the films The Shape of Water and ROMA , by Guillermo del Toro and Alfonso Cuarón, won the Golden Lion to Best Film.

How is a film festival experienced in the new normal? For Michel Franco, the Biennale has been dynamic and with good news for he chose Los Ángeles Azules’ music for his premiere, and the Young Jury granted him one of the most coveted awards.

“It’s the right film for this year; the circumstances in which it is presented taste like dystopia; precisely, the new normal is compatible but that doesn’t mean there is less euphoria,” he said on the phone.

Franco has been able to watch films in movie theaters, something that had not happened for almost six months due to the health emergency.

“Many things work better; for instance, you have your tickets on the phone, it’s customized, and everything is more efficient, everything starts on time; it’s a festival that has had less red carpets and Hollywood actors but with good programming.”

“You should never think about prizes because you are let down if they don’t happen; I’m already happy with the response we had and I have listened that the film is considered daring and bold,” he said.

After Venice , Franco will go to the San Sebastian International Film Festival where New Order is part of the non-competitive section Pearls and he will be part of the official jury.

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Venice’s winners

Official selection

Golden Lion: Nomadland by Chloé Zhao

Silver Lion to Best Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa for Wife of a Spy

Silver Lion Grand Jury’s Prize: New Order by Michel Franco

Special Jury Prize: Dear Comrades by ndréi Konchalovsky

Prize to Best Screenplay: Chaitanya Tamhane for The Disciple

Volpi Cup to Best Actress: Vanessa Kirby for Pieces of a Woman

Volpi Cup to Best Actor: Pierfrancesco Favino for Padrenostro

Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Emerging Actor: Rouhollah Zamani for Sun Children

Horizons

Best Film: The Wasteland by Ahmad Bahrami

Best Direction: Pietro Castellitto for I predatori

Special Jury Prize: Listen by Ana Rocha de Sousa

Best Female Interpretation: Khansa Batma for Zanka Contact

Best Male Interpretation: Yahya Mahayni for The Man Who Sold His Skin

Best Screenplay: Lav Diaz for Lahi, Hayop

Best Short: Between You and Milagros by Mariana Saffon

Other awards

Luigi di Laurentiis Award for Best Debut Film: Listen by Ana Rocha de Sousa

Best Virtual Reality Film: The Hangman at home . An immersive single user experience by Michelle and Uri Kranot

Best Virtual Reality Experience: Finding Pandora X by Liira Benzing

Best Virtual Reality Story: Killing a superstar by Fan Fan

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