Corina, the auspicious and quirky debut feature by Mexican writer-director Urzula Barba Hopfner—winner of the Audience Award at the SXSW Film Festival—will have its much-anticipated New York premiere as part of the 2025 season of Rooftop Films, with an outdoor screening on Thursday, June 12 at Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn. Blending offbeat, deadpan humor with heartfelt emotion, Corina offers a vivid portrait of personal growth and the courage to step beyond the familiar.
Starring the captivating Naian González Norvind (New Order) in the title role and Christo Fernández (Ted Lasso) in a supporting turn, Corina premiered to critical acclaim at the Guadalajara Film Festival, where it won the Best Film Award in the Made in Jalisco competition, and later at the Guanajuato Film Festival, where it received the Press Award. Its international premiere in the First Feature Competition at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival last November was followed by its North American debut at SXSW this past March, where it struck a chord with audiences and earned the Audience Award in the Global section.
Set in the director’s hometown of Guadalajara, the film follows Corina, a young woman who has rarely left her house in the past 20 years, except to work at a local publishing house. When she makes a grave mistake in the final installment of the company’s most beloved book saga, her world is thrown into turmoil. To save her job—and the future of the publishing house—she must confront her deepest fears and, with the help of Carlos, embark on a daring journey to track down a mysterious writer whose words may hold the key to redemption.
With a carefully crafted screenplay, impeccable cinematography by Gerardo Guerra (Dos Estaciones), and intricate production design that brings its whimsical universe to life, Corina is an uplifting and endearing fable reminiscent of Amélie. It challenges viewers to embrace the unknown and find beauty in life’s unexpected detours, leaving an indelible mark on international audiences.
