Top Grossing Mexican Films of All-Time [Revised]

[Updated November 5, 2014] 2014 will be another milestone year for Mexican cinema at the box office, as three new films have entered the list of top ten grossing Mexican films of all time: Luis Estrada's La dictadura perfecta, Marco Polo Constandse's Cásese quien pueda, and Sebastián del Amo's Cantinflas. 

[Originally published October 1, 2013] Eugenio Derbez's debut feature film No se aceptan devoluciones / Instructions Not included is making history this week becoming the top grossing Mexican film of all-time at the local box office, deposing the short reign of Gaz Alazraki's Nosotros los Nobles at the number one spot. With only ten days in release, Derbez's film has earned the impressive amount of $355.3 million pesos or about $26.95 million USD. The Mexican box office has seen a lot of record-breaking activity this year as both Alazraki and Derbez's films broke all time records with just a six-month difference.

TropicalFRONT presents the list of the highest grossing films in the country. The list has three animated films (Una película de huevos and its sequel, and the Mexican-Argentinean co-production based on Hanna Barbera's American cartoon Don Gato y su pandilla, and two films starring Gael García Bernal (El crimen del padre Amaro and Rudo y Cursi). Derbez is also featured on the number sixth spot as the leading actor in Alejandro Springall's No eres tú, soy yo.   

1. No se aceptan devoluciones (Eugenio Derbez, 2013), $600 million/ 15.2 million spectators
2. Nosotros los Nobles (Gaz Alazraki, 2013), $340 million / 7.1 million spectators
3. Cásese quien pueda (Marco Polo Constandse, 2014), $168 million / 4.9 million spectators  
4. El crimen del padre Amaro (Carlos Carrera, 2002), $162 million / 5.2 million spectators
5. Una película de huevos (Gabriel Riva Palacio and Rodolfo Riva Palacio, 2006), $142 million / 3.9 million spectators
6. La dictadura perfecta (Luis Estrada, 2014), $136.4 million / 3 million spectators
7. Rudo y Cursi (Carlos Cuarón, 2008), $127 million / 3.1 million spectators
8. Cantinflas (Sebastián del Amo, 2014), $126 million / 2.7 million spectators
9. No eres tú, soy yo (Alejandro Springall, 2010) $125.6 million / 2.9 million spectators
10. Km 31 (Rigoberto Castañeda, 2006), $118.8 million / 3.2 million spectators

 

All figures in Mexican pesos.

 

All-Time Top Grossing Spanish-Language Films in the U.S.

 

  

As Eugenio Derbez's debut feature film Instructions Not Included / No se aceptan devoluciones is making history this weekend becoming the top grossing Spanish-language film of all-time at the U.S. box office, TropicalFRONT presents here the list of the highest grossing Spanish-language films in the country.

The list is basically comprised of art-house favorites, a fact that makes Derbez's triumph more historical for its mainstream appeal. The list includes four films by Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar (Volver, Talk to Her, All About My Mother, and Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown), and some long-time Mexican favorites such as Like Water for Chocolate and Y Tu Mamá También. As an actor, Derbez already appears in this top grossing list having performed in Patricia Riggen's Under the Same Moon.

1. Instructions Not Included / No se aceptan devoluciones (Eugenio Derbez, Mexico, 2013), $38.5 million. Distributor: Pantelion Films.

2. Pan's Labyrinth / El laberinto del fauno (Guillermo del Toro, Mexico/Spain, 2006), $36.7 million. Distributor: Picturehouse.

3. Like Water for Chocolate / Como agua para chocolate (Alfonso Arau, Mexico, 1993), $21.6 million. Distributor: Miramax Films

4. The Motorcycle Diaries / Diarios de motocicleta (Walter Salles, Argentina, 2004) $16.7 million. Distributor: Focus Films. 

5. Y Tu Mamá También (Alfonso Cuarón, Mexico, 2001), $13.8 million. Distributor: IFC Films

6. Volver (Pedro Almodóvar, Spain, 2006), $12.8 million. Distributor: Sony Pictures Classic.

7. Under the Same Moon / La misma luna (Patricia Riggen, Mexico/USA, 2008), $12.5 million. Distributor: Fox Searchlight/The Weinstein Company.

8.  Talk to Her / Hable con ella (Pedro Almodóvar, Spain, 2002), $9.2 million. Distributor: Sony Pictures Classic.

9. All About My Mother / Todo sobre mi madre (Pedro Almodóvar, Spain, 1999), $8.2 million. Distributor: Sony Pictures Classic.

10. Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown / Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios (Pedro Almodóvar, Spain, 1988), $7.1 million. Distributor: Orion Classics.

INSTRUCTIONS Becomes Highest Grossing Spanish-Language Film in U.S. History

Eugenio Derbez's Instructions Not Included / No se aceptan devoluciones (pictured) continues to break records on both sides of the border becoming today the highest grossing Spanish-language film in the United States ever, having earned as of today an estimated $38,567,000 in the box office surpassing the previous record holder Pan's Labyrinth / El laberinto del fauno by Guillermo del Toro. The Mexican film has also become the fourth top grossing foreign-language film in the U.S.

The Mexican film opened on 348 screens on Labor Day weekend and since then it has expanded to become the sleeper hit of the year in the U.S., also becoming the highest grossing independent film of the year so far (surpassing Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine).

After only one week in release in theaters south of the border, Instructions Not Included is also headed to become the top grossing Mexican film ever as it broke records for a local production in its opening weekend. The film has made a jaw-dropping $232.2 million pesos (about $17.6 million USD) and has been seen in Mexico by over 5.8 million people.

Venezuelan Film BAD HAIR Tops San Sebastian

Mariana Rondón's Pelo malo / Bad Hair (pictured) was announced today as the winner of the Golden Shell as Best Film at the 61st edition of the San Sebastian Film Festival. Rondón's third feature film makes history as the first Venezuelan film to ever win the Spanish festival. It is the sixth Latin American film to win the Golden Shell prize, the last time was in 2001 with the Chilean film Taxi para tres / Cab for Three by Orlando Lübbert.

The film tells the story of Junior, a sensitive, slim nine-year-old who lives with his single mother Marta, who's trying to get her security guard job back, and his baby brother. Before school begins, Junior needs his photo taken, but, prodded by his indulgent grandmother (who senses that he's gay) and his plump gal pal neighbour, he's become obsessed with straightening his curly hair beforehand.

Other Latin American winners at San Sebastian are Mexican filmmaker Fernando Eimbcke who won the Silver Shell as Best Director for his film Club Sándwich, and Brazilian film O lobo atras da porta / Wolf at the Door by Fernando Coimbra which won the Horizontes Latinos Award in the Latin American competition.

The 61st edition of the festival took place September 20-28 in Spain.

Argentinean Project LA SALADA Wins Cine en Construcción

Argentinean film project La Salada (pictured), the directorial debut by Juan Martín Hsu won the Cine en Construcción section of the San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain, it was announced today.

A mosaic of the new immigrant experience in Argentina, La Salada is linked through three stories that take place in the fair of the same name. People of different races to fight against loneliness and rootlessness of his earth, a Korean father and daughter preparing for a marriage concluded, a young Bolivian who just came to the country in search of work and a seller of DVDs Taiwanese looking for a girlfriend to keep him company. 

The Festival also announced the Cuban-French co-production film El acompañante / The Companion as the winner of the Best Project at the Europe-Latin American Co-Production Forum, and the jury have a Special Mention to the Colombian-French co-production La tierra y la sombra by César Augusto Acevedo.

The 61st edition of the San Sebastian Film Festival runs September 20-28 in Spain.

NY Film Fest to Present Eimbcke Retrospective

Among the dozens of films presented during the 51st edition of the New York Film Festival, this year's lineup includes a special retrospective of Mexican director Fernando Eimbcke as part of the Emerging Artists sidebar. This section of the festival spotlights enormously talented filmmakers, near the beginning of their respective careers. On its first edition, Emerging Actors will celebrate the work of Eimbcke and British filmmaker Joanna Hogg.

Along with his brand new film, this section will also be screening Eimbcke's previous films. Eimbcke's run begins with his latest, Club Sándwich (pictured below right), which focuses on a teenage boy, Héctor, taking his first tentative steps into the uncharted waters of sex and his mother, Paloma, who must learn to navigate life without the constant companionship of her only child.

Also screening is the film Lake Tahoe, which follows the meanderings of Juan, scouring the sleepy streets of a small town as he searches for a spare part of crashing the family car. Eimbcke's first feature film Temporada de patos / Duck Season (picture above left), will also be shown, the story of two 14 year olds left home alone, with video games, soda, and snacks and no parents. But, when the power goes out, the day becomes littered with adventures.

For all screenings, Eimbcke and his producer Christian Valdeliévre will be in attendance. Emerging Artists will run from October 1-8 at the 51st New York International Film Festival.