The Mexican film Identifying Features, the debut feature by Fernanda Valadez, has won the Golden Eye for Best Film at the 16th edition of the Zurich Film Festival. The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival last January where it won the Screenplay Award and Audience Award in the World Cinema competition, and just last week won the Best Latin American Film Award at the San Sebastian Film Festival.
“This fearless, magical, intrusive and all-too-real movie begins as a straight forward journey, then leads the viewer into a cinematic world where monsters are real. The film focuses on a humanitarian crisis left behind empty villages and armies of people, and is a comprehensive portrait of tragedy. Hers, is a stunning approach to a fable about war, and its connected to many places around the world at war internally. This outstanding first feature film by a group of exceptional artists refuses to put up any stereotypes about what a women-made film can be,” said the jury, composed by filmmakers Michel Franco, Karim Aïnouz, and programmer Ellen Harrington, in a written statement.
Identifying Features tells the story of Magdalena, who sets out on a journey in search of her disappeared son en route to the U.S. border. Traveling through desolate towns and landscapes she meets Miguel, a young man recently deported from the U.S. who is making his way home. The two accompany one another: Magdalena, looking for her son, and Miguel, eager to see his mother again, in a region where victims and aggressors ramble together.
