At the time of its founding in 1946, the Mexican Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences (AMACC) adopted a purpose that survives to this day: “to promote the dissemination, research, preservation, development, and defense of the arts and sciences.” films”, in the words of the organization itself.
It is not only the non-profit entity that makes possible the annual delivery of the Ariel, an award that recognizes the best of cinema made with Mexican hands. It is a civil association with more than 2,500 members —active professionals in the industry— that performs an infinite number of tasks; from training, dissemination and cultural promotion, to the implementation of measures that protect filmmakers in adverse contexts.
Based in Casa Buñuel (CDMX) and through a coordinating committee currently chaired by Leticia Huijara, find out below about the work of the AMACC and some recent specific projects that attest to its enormous relevance in the national cinematographic endeavor.
Samples, exhibitions and film cycles
The AMACC has promoted exhibitions and film cycles in different venues of the Mexican Republic; this with the aim of making known the diversity of views and film proposals that enrich the audiovisual panorama of our country.
Between March and October 2022, took place “Voices and themes of Mexican cinema”, a series of cycles made up of around thirty films. These were selected and classified based on six thematic axes: female directors in the cinema, youth, indigenous and Afro-descendant gaze, sexual diversity, the Conquest of Mexico and the Consummation of Independence.
Another example is the cycle “Heading to Ariel”. Its 2022 edition ran from August 18 to October 10, with the purpose of exhibiting to a wide audience the feature films and short films nominated for the 64th Ariel Awards ceremony. In addition to face-to-face functions, this cycle once again resorted to the FilminLatino platform —hosted by IMCINE— where the films had free viewings that Internet users from all over Mexico could access.
In terms of exhibitions and dissemination of photographic collections, the Academy was behind samples such as “The persistence of the sentient machine” in 2020 (made up of Ariel-winning movie posters) and “Anonymous heroes: technicians and artists of Mexican cinema” in 2019 (a tribute to behind-the-scenes filmmakers who hardly get the recognition they deserve).
Conversations and master classes
Several AMACC actions have sought to promote meetings and dialogue between professionals in the film industry; in addition to taking those talks and conferences to the general public. For example, within the framework of the 2022 “Rumbo al Ariel” and “Voces y temas del cine mexicano” cycles, Casa Buñuel hosted conversations with actors, filmmakers, and creative personnel involved in the films shown; videotaped talks that can be freely viewed on the Academy’s official YouTube channel.
Calling on talent from other countries —added to providing them with a space where they can share their knowledge— has been another mission of the organization. Of the last three years, two master classes given respectively by the art director stand out. Paul Harrod (isle of dogs) and the costume designer angel lovemember of the production team of famous titles such as maleficent Y The favourite.
Of the AMACC, in collaboration with the Filmoteca of the UNAM, the program of conversations should not be forgotten either. “Cinema Thursday at Casa Buñuel”. This consisted of extensive videotaped talks —in the form of gatherings— featuring award-winning members of the Mexican film industry and prestigious communicators, researchers and prominent people from the industry. There were a total of 34 talks, spread over three seasons and published digitally between April 2020 and July 2021.
Editorial work
Among the tasks of the Academy also stands out “the edition of books that talk about the development of the Mexican film industry” (via).
In 2021, the first season of the “Thursdays of Cinema at Casa Buñuel” talks prompted the AMACC and associated bodies to launch a editorial collection; that is, a series of books where the talks held with different personalities during the course of the program were transcribed.
Regarding the field of letters, the AMACC has also published eight issues of a collection called “Texts of the Academy”; a set of writings that mostly pay tribute to the life and career of veteran personalities who were recipients of the Ariel de Oro, such as the actress María Rojo, the screenwriter Paz Alicia Garciadiego and the actor Héctor Bonilla. The digital version of each issue is available for free on the site Web of the organization.
Preservation and restoration
In complicity with the UNAM Film Library, AMACC has participated in the restoration and preservation of five Mexican films of yesteryear and with enormous historical value, which are:
- The woman of the port (Dir. Arcady Boytler, 1933)
- the ghost train (Dir. Gabriel García Moreno, 1926)
- the iron fist (Dir. Gabriel García Moreno, 1927)
- the shack (Dir. Roberto Gavaldón, 1945)
- Tepeyac (Dir. José Manuel Ramos, Carlos E. González and Fernando Sáyago, 1917)
It should be added that the restoration process around the shack inspired the first number of the “Texts of the Academy” collection. On the other hand, cases of Tepeyac Y the ghost train gave rise to the illustrative series of texts Film Archive Restoration Notebookswhose first two volumes were published with the support of the AMACC.
In defense of cinema and its workers
Against all censorship and grievances, AMACC swears to defend the creative and labor freedom of Mexican filmmakers. In addition, it has been difficult to take to assist the industry workers most affected by the suspension of activities during the pandemic. Thus arose in 2020 —and with the mediation of the Academy— the COVID-19 Support Fund for the Film and Audiovisual Industrythanks to an alliance with Netflix, and Siphonophore, Audiovisual Emergency Fundthe result of the combined efforts of various figures, including Alejandro González Iñárritu, Alfonso Cuarón, Guillermo del Toro, Issa López and Salma Hayek.
That same year, in full discussion over the disappearance of trusts, the AMACC described the extinction of the Fund for Quality Film Production (FOPROCINE) as worrisome. He also defended tooth and nail the permanence of the Investment and Stimulus Fund for Cinema (FIDECINE)which for twenty years supported film production, post-production, distribution and exhibition in our country.
Likewise, the organization’s struggle is focused on promoting reforms to the Federal Law of Cinematography and Audiovisual. This is what President Leticia Huijara said in the last edition of the Ariel Awards:
“AMACC has expressed the urgency of presenting to Congress the proposal for modifications to the Federal Cinematography Law, which has been worked intensively with the different sectors of the union […] and that seeks to update the regulations that regulate cinema, adapting it to the new paradigms of the production and circulation of cinematographic and audiovisual content. [Se propone] a substantial regulation of the digital sector, in particular of the large platforms for the benefit of cultural diversity and the intellectual property of artists”.
Awards and representation abroad
It is well known that the AMACC annually awards the prestigious ariel award, which recognizes the best of Mexican and Ibero-American cinema. Therefore, he is responsible for taking the lead in the logistics of the ceremony, the publication of calls, the selection and voting processes, the manufacture of the statuettes, etc. Always fully aware that the great event does not consist only of distributing trophies. On this, the Academy defines its award as “a public forum to hear the voices of our filmmakers at key moments in our history”.
Every year, the same instance is in charge of choosing the national production that represents Mexico in the race for the Best International Film category of the Oscars; the same for the Goya from Spain, the Macondo from Colombia and the Colibrí from Ecuador, in their respective shortlists for Best Ibero-American Film.
And as if that were not enough, the AMACC presumes to be part of the Ibero-American Federation of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences Academies (FIACINE); an organization that brings together the counterpart associations of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Spain, Guatemala, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, with the aim of jointly promoting relationships and mechanisms in favor of filmmaking in such territories.
Communiqué: The current situation of the AMACC. pic.twitter.com/1s6mmwPuzi
– AMACC (@AcademiaCineMx) November 28, 2022
What will happen to the AMACC?
On November 24, 2022, the AMACC announced the indefinite suspension of the call for the 2023 Ariel Awards; This was due, they argued, to the serious financial crisis of the organization, a consequence of the cut in public funds. And it should be noted that, in general, their subsistence mostly depends on the support of the State.
Days later, the Academy announced that it planned to launch a “vast financing campaign via fees and donations” in order to counteract its budget decline. But obviously there are no guarantees to keep the ship afloat.
“The production of the Ariel ceremony requires covering many expenses such as registration and voting computer systems, viewing platforms and review of materials, production and logistics of the event to be broadcast on television and various platforms,” it reported in a subsequent statement. “Today, there is no financial viability to sustain the operation of the Academy and meet its objectives and commitments; among them, the delivery of the Ariel awards”.
You might also be interested in: Members of the Mexican film industry react to the crisis at the AMACC
The Ministry of Culture and the Mexican Institute of Cinematography (IMCINE) insist that they have been constant in granting AMACC public support over the last four years, and affirm that they will maintain their commitment during 2023. A talk is still pending agreement between both parties that, hopefully, leads to a favorable agreement so that the Academy can resume its work promptly and normally.
In the words of Guillermo del Torothe “new and strong voices in Mexican cinema” come to light thanks to the fact that the Ariel awards, the festivals and the AMACC “keep them alive and urgent”.
Antonio G. Spindola I have very bad memory. Out of solidarity with my memories, I choose to lose myself too. Preferably in a movie theater.