The 40th Guadalajara International Film Festival took place from June 6 to 14, 2025, in Guadalajara, Mexico. The festival opened with the Mexican Animated film I Am Frankelda, based on the series Frankelda's Book of Spooks and directed by brothers Arturo and Roy Ambriz.
The documentary film Llamarse Olimpia, directed by Indira Cato, won the Mezcal Award for Best Mexican Film; Gabriel Mascaro's international co-production The Blue Trail won Best Ibero-American Film, and Albert Serra's Afternoons of Solitude won Best Ibero-American Documentary Film.
Background Portugal was chosen as the guest of honor for this year's edition, with Portuguese actress Maria de Medeiros being honored with the Homenaje, Guest of Honor. Mexican actress and film producer Dolores Heredia received the Silver Mayahuel Lifetime Achievement Award (Mayahuel de Plata), while Mexican film producer Mónica Lozano Serrano was honoured with the Mayahuel FICG Industry Award. Chilean actress Daniela Vega received the Maguey Queer Icon Award, Mexican musician Denisse Guerrero and lead vocalist of the electropop band Belanova received the Maguey Lifetime Achievement Award, and Spanish filmmaker J. A. Bayona received the International Mayahuel Award.
A new section named Cine de Género was introduced, focused on "genre films", including horror, fantasy, and science fiction.
The festival's poster was designed by cartoonist José Ignacio Solórzano "Jis" and features a centaur as a metaphor for "the nature of cinema, a fusion of diverse elements, a times wonderful, other times chaotic".
Official selections The following films were selected for the different sections: Mezcal Award Highlighted title indicates section's best film winner. English Title Original Title Director(s) Production countrie(s) At the End of the World En el fin del mundo Abraham Escobedo-Salas Mexico, Belgium Being Olimpia Llamarse Olimpia Indira Cato Mexico Boca Vieja Yovegami Ascona Mora Mexico Café Chairel Mexico CrocodilesCocodrilos J. Xavier Velasco Mexico, United States Islander Isleño César Talamantes Mexico Miraba Caer las Gotas Iluminadas por los Relámpagos, y Cada Que Respiraba Suspiraba, y Cada Vez Que Pensaba, Pensaba en Ti José de Jesús Gutiérrez García, Carlos San Juan Mexico Un Mundo Para Mí Alejandro Zuno Mexico Rock, Weed and Wheels Autos, Mota y Rocanrol José Manuel Cravioto Mexico Twelve MoonsDoce Lunas Victoria Franco Mexico (MG) indicates eligible for the Maguey Award, for films that include LGBTQ+ themes. (HeJ) indicates film eligible for the Hecho en Jalisco Award.
Ibero-American Fiction Feature Film Highlighted title indicates section's best film winner. English Title Original Title Director(s) Production countrie(s) Cuerpo Celeste Nayra Ilic García Chile, Italia Away Molt lluny Gerard Oms Spain, Netherlands The Best Mother in the World A melhor mãe do mundo Anna Muylaert Brazil Bitter GoldOro amargo Juan Olea Chile, Mexico, Uruguay, Germany The Blue Trail O Último Azul Gabriel Mascaro Brazil, Mexico, Netherlands, Chile La Quinta Silvina Schnicer Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Spain Deaf Sorda Eva Libertad Spain Dreaming of Lions Sonhar com Leões Paolo Marinou-Blanco Portugal, Brazil, Spain Martina's Search A Procura de Martina Márcia Faria Brazil, Uruguay Esta Isla Lorraine Jones Molina, Cristian Carretero Puerto Rico Tiguere José Maria Cabral Dominican Republic The Wild YearsLos años salvajes Andrés Nazarala Chile (MG) indicates eligible for the Maguey Award, for films that include LGBTQ+ themes.
Ibero-American Documentary Feature Film Highlighted title indicates section's best film winner. English Title Original Title Director(s) Production countrie(s) Cais Brazil El Canto de las Manos María Valverde Spain, United States Copan Carine Wallauer Brazil, France Runa Simi Augusto Zegarra Peru Croma Manuel Abramovich Argentina, Germany, Austria Afternoons of Solitude Tardes de soledad Albert Serra Spain, France, Portugal Black Gold Ouro negro Takashi Sugimoto Portugal The Flamenco Guitar of Yerai Cortés La guitarra flamenca de Yerai Cortés Antón Álvarez Spain Eco de Luz Misha Vallejo Prut Ecuador, Argentina Paradise Ana Rieper Brazil Savanna and the Mountain A Savana e a Montanha Paulo Carneiro Portugal, Uruguay Sunset of the Crickets El atardecer de los grillos Gonzalo Almeida Argentina (MG) indicates eligible for the Maguey Award, for films that include LGBTQ+ themes.
Ibero-American Short Film Highlighted title indicates section's best film winner. English Title Original Title Director(s) Production countrie(s) Granma(ther) Nicolás Baksht Somonte Mexico Malicia Edward Gómez Granada Mexico Alice Gabriel Novis Brazil Músicas Lila Avilés Mexico Barbed Wire Arame Farpado Gustavo de Carvalho Brazil Flying Carpet Tapete Voador Justin Amorim Portugal Te Prometo Violencia Juan Maria Leon Mexico La Miel Inmaculada Mauricio Calderón Rico Mexico Sólo Kim Javier Prieto de Paula, Diego Herrero Spain El Paso Roberto Tarazona Cuba El Lagarto de la 20 Ricardo Soto Mexico De Sucre Clàudia Cedó Spain My Mother is a Cow Minha Mãe é uma Vaca Moara Passoni Brazil Furia Fran Moreno Blanco, Santi Pujol Amat Spain Aigua Salina Abraham Delgado, Ivet Moreno Spain Semillas de Kivu Néstor López, Carlos Valle Spain Someday the Night Will Come Un día llegará la noche Chica Barbosa Mexico, Spain Atardecer en América Matías Rojas Valencia Brazil, Chile, Colombia Las Voces del Despeñadero Irving Serrano, Victor Rejón Mexico Año de Casados Pablo Camargo López Mexico (HeJ) indicates film eligible for the Hecho en Jalisco Award.
International Animation Feature Film Highlighted title indicates section's best film winner. English Title Original Title Director(s) Production countrie(s) Space Cadet Kid Koala Canada Lesbian Space Princess Emma Hough Hobbs, Leela Varghese Australia Endless Cookie Seth Scriver Canada The Great History of Western Philosophy La gran historia de la filosofía occidental Aria Covamonas Mexico I Am Frankelda Soy Frankelda Roy Ambriz, Arturo Ambriz Mexico Maya, Give Me a Title Maya, donne-moi un titre Michel Gondry France Olivia & the Clouds Olivia & Las Nubes Tomás Pichardo Espaillat Dominican Republic Pig That Survived Foot-and-Mouth Disease 구제역에서 살아 돌아온 돼지 Bum-Wook Hur South Korea (MG) indicates eligible for the Maguey Award, for films that include LGBTQ+ themes.
Maguey Award The following list consists of the films eligible for the Maguey Award that are not listed in the previous competition tables. The films in contention for both the Maguey Award and other competition section appear with the symbol (MG) next to it. Highlighted title indicates section's best film winner. English Title Original Title Director(s) Production countrie(s) La Joia: Bad Gyal David Camarero Spain Hot Milk Rebecca Lenkiewicz United Kingdom Queer as Punk Yihwen Chen Malaysia, Indonesia Cactus Pears Sabar Bonda Rohan Parashuram Kanawade India, United Kingdom, Canada Siempre Vuelven Sergio De León Uruguay, Argentina The Nature of Invisible Things A natureza das coisas invisíveis Rafaela Camelo Brazil, Chile Only Good Things Apenas coisas boas Daniel Nolasco Brazil Sobre las Olas Mexico, Spain, France Llueve sobre Babel Gala del Sol Colombia, Spain, United States Two Times João Liberada Duas vezes João Liberada Paula Tomás Marques Portugal (HeJ) indicates film eligible for the Hecho en Jalisco Award.
Cine de Género Highlighted title indicates section's best film winner. English Title Original Title Director(s) Production countrie(s) El Tema del Verano Pablo Stoll Uruguay, Argentina, Chile Don't Leave the Kids Alone No Dejes a los Niños Solos Emilio Portes Mexico Restless Waters, Shivering Lights Faro Ángeles Hernández Spain, Argentina The Innocents Los Inocentes Germán Tejada Mexico, Peru A Yard of Jackals Patio de Chacales Diego Figueroa Chile (MG) indicates eligible for the Maguey Award, for films that include LGBTQ+ themes.
Rigo Mora Award Highlighted title indicates section's best film winner. English Title Original Title Director(s) Production countrie(s) Nabu Joanna Rusinek Poland Retirement Plan John Kelly Ireland Underground Invaders Shera Courtalhac, Ines Molinier, Victor Lesaffre, Maëlle Metaireau, Dana Guyot, Ines Dolivet, Meggie Bernier France Dragfox Lisa Ott United Kingdom Two Ships McKinley Benson Portugal, United States Il Burattino e la Balena Roberto Catani France, Italy Jeanne & Jean Jean Jeanne et Jean Jean Thanys Martin France Snow Bear Aaron Blaise United States My Gut Friend Becho y Mab Argentina, Mexico Como si la Tierra se las Hubiera Tragado Natalia León France Luz Diabla Gervasio Canda, Patricio Patricio, Paula Boffo Argentina, Canada The Little Ancestor La petite ancêtre Alexa Tremblay-Francoeur Canada Buffet Paraíso Héctor Zafra, Santi Amézqueta Spain, France See You Soon Hasta Pronto Jennifer Skarbnik López Mexico Sisowath Quay Quai Sisowath Stéphanie Lansaque, François Leroy France (HeJ) indicates film eligible for the Hecho en Jalisco Award.
Socio-Environmental Cinema Award The following list consists of the films eligible for the Socio-Environmental Cinema Award that are not listed in the previous competition tables. Highlighted title indicates section's best film winner. English Title Original Title Director(s) Production countrie(s) Seeds Brittany Shyne United States The Mountain Won't Move Мојот летен распуст Petra Seliškar Slovenia, Macedonia, France Only on Earth Robin Petré Denmark, Spain The Red List Ross Pierson United Kingdom The Shepherd and the Bear Max Keegan United States, United Kingdom, France The Memory of Butterflies La memoria de las mariposas Tatiana Fuentes Sadowski Peru, Portugal
Hecho en Jalisco The following list consists of the films eligible for the Hecho en Jalisco that are not listed in the previous competition tables. The films in contention for both the Made in Jalisco and other competition section appear with the symbol (HeJ) next to it. Highlighted title indicates section's best film winner. English Title Original Title Director(s) Production countrie(s) Gamboa Emiliano Alcaraz Díaz Mexico Duva Jonathan Álvarez Peña Mexico Abracadáver Pancho Rodríguez Mexico Across the Breakwater Entre las Rocas y el Mar Alessandra Vera Gonzalez Mexico Una Torreta en Llamas Humberto Flores Jáuregui Mexico Carbon Carbono Alberto Arvizu, Yael González Mexico, Peru Ceremonia Dan Chávez Mexico Hijos del Agave Iván López-Barba Mexico Cangrejos en el Aire Esteban Guerrero Carranco Mexico The Daughters of the Wind Las Hijas del Viento José Camacho Cabrera Mexico The Diver Who Stayed on Land El Buzo Que se Quedó en Tierra Diana Castro Cabrera, Magali Espinosa Ortega Mexico La Mosca en la Pared Mar Novo Mexico No, Gracias, Ya No Fumo Diego Toussaint Mexico Secret Theatre Teatro Secreto Diego Martínez Gutiérrez Mexico Silenciados Daniel Malvido Mexico Somewhere Within Me En Algún Lugar Dentro de Mí Andoeni Padilla Mexico Pisadas de Sangre Emiliano Monroy Pineda Mexico Until God Remember Us Hasta Que Dios se Acuerde de Nosotros André González Arias, Victor Cartas Valdivia, Isabella Hernández Sánchez Mexico
Other sections Charity Galas English Title Original Title Director(s) Production countrie(s) 8 Julio Medem Spain On Swift Horses Daniel Minahan United States The Life of Chuck Mike Flanagan United States Mollusk Molusco Mauricio Bidault Mexico Maguey Lifetime Achievement Award: Denisse Guerrero The Fantasy Died Murió la Fantasia Rubén R. Bañuelos, Iván López Barba Mexico (MG) indicates eligible for the Maguey Award, for films that include LGBTQ+ themes.
Guadalajara Construye English Title Original Title Director(s) Production countrie(s) 8 Maneras de Morir Mar Novo Mexico Génesis Magaly Ugarte de Pablo Mexico Tierras Niñas Zara Monardes Chile Aquí Hay Dragones Iria Gómez Concheiro Mexico, Chile O Monstro Germano Teixeira de Oliveira Brazil Los Nadadores Sol Iglesias SK Argentina Aquella Sombra Desvanecía Samuel Urbina Peru
Cinema Libre