THE 15 MOST POPULAR MEXICAN MOVIES - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The Mexican films are the set of film productions that make up the so - called Mexican cinema, which have been made by creators of the country. These films can be filmed in Mexico or abroad and to be considered as such your budget must be mostly of Mexican origin.

Its beginnings date back to 1896, when the first cinematographer of the Lumière brothers arrived in Mexico to make an exhibition before President Porfirio Díaz. From then on, the medium gained great popularity and developed in different hands throughout the century.

Dolores del Río, Mexican actress

At first, the medium served to keep a record of the Mexican Revolution, which occurred between 1910 and 1920. Later, staging and fiction short films were created. It is from 1930 when the cinema in Mexico took the leap and the great productions of comedies and musicals began with a high artistic and technical level.

This period that coincided with World War II was known as the golden age of Mexican cinema, since the medium had reached international popularity. Its actors became stars in the Spanish-speaking world and several of their works obtained the highest accolades in the global industry.

After its classical era, Mexican cinema entered an irregular period that lasted for almost 40 years. It was not until the early 1990s that the national cinema rebounded with quality work, well received by critics and the public.

From this period, the best known and most celebrated creators emerged in the world today: Alfonso Cuarón, Guillermo del Toro and Alejandro González Iñárritu.

The golden age (1936-1959)

After the success of the first silent films, with the arrival of sound, Mexican cinema specialized in musical numbers and comedies. Its enormous popularity was made possible in part by the fact that the North American and European film industry received a severe blow during World War II, thus giving space to Mexican creators.

From this time, idols of Mexican comedy such as Cantinflas and Tin Tan emerged; icons of musical cinema such as Padro Infante and Jorge Negrete; and the great female figures of acting such as María Félix and Dolores del Río.

There is the detail

It is a comedy of entanglements starring Mario Moreno “Cantinflas”. The plot revolves around a misunderstanding, where the cook of a wealthy family in Mexico City asks her boyfriend - Cantinflas - to kill the house's mad dog.

Because the dog shares the same name as one of the patron's suitors, confusion is created about the knight's death and Cantinflas is brought to trial, where the character tries to get away by making use of his already iconic incoherent speech.

The film was widely acclaimed by the public and launched Cantinflas to stardom, who would continue his trademark humor throughout his career.

Maria Candelaria

The film is narrated by an old artist, who in an interview is questioned about the photograph of a mysterious naked woman.

It is about María Candelaria, an indigenous woman from Xochimilco who is excluded from society for being the daughter of a prostitute, and how Lorenzo Rafael is the only man who dares to be with her.

This work would win Mexico its first Palme d'Or at the prestigious Cannes festival in 1946.

We poor

Melodramatic work starring Pedro Infante that takes place in a poor neighborhood in Mexico City. He talks about the adventures of the lower classes, specifically those of Pepe el Toro, who works as a carpenter and takes care of his little niece.

The film uses a light comic touch and features two musical numbers. It is part of a popular trilogy, which was followed by You the Rich (1948) and Pepe el Toro (1952).

The forgotten

One of the first neorealist works of Mexican cinema. It tells the story of a group of children from a marginalized neighborhood; on how they must survive the hostility of society, the mistreatment of their parents and the violence in the streets.

The film was named Memory of the World by UNESCO and won Luis Buñuel the best director award at the Cannes Film Festival.

The 60s, 70s and 80s

During this period, the national cinema entered its most surreal stage. Furthermore, the number of works produced and their quality would be irregular thanks to budget cuts by the Mexican government.

Macario

Set in the time of the viceroyalty, Macario tells the story of a poor man who, on the eve of the Day of the Dead, flees into the forest to eat a turkey by himself. There the devil, God and death visit him; the latter gives Macario healing powers.

It is one of the last great works to have the characteristic production values ​​of the golden age. The film was nominated for the Palme d'Or and the Oscar for best foreign film

The exterminating angel

The film portrays a group of burghers, who meet in a mansion after attending an opera performance. For an unknown reason, guests seem unable to leave the room they are in despite the fact that it is not obstructed in any way.

With the passage of time, without servitude and after being agglomerated in the room, the etiquette is lost and the assistants begin to behave in a wild way.

Los Caifanes

Psychedelic work that begins with a young upper-class couple, who in search of a place to spend the night meet a group called Los Caifanes.

Throughout the film the surreal nightlife in Mexico City is shown. It has the original script by the acclaimed Mexican writer Carlos Fuentes.

The holy mountain

This surreal film is a Mexican-American co-production. In this an alchemist gathers a group of beings that represent the solar system. These will have to carry out some rites and will be sent to the sacred mountain to dominate the world.

The film created a great expectation among the artistic society of the time; even personalities like George Harrison - former member of The Beatles - sought a leading role in the film. Over time, it has gained a cult following.

Poison for the Fairies

Mexican horror film seen from the perspective of two little girls. One of them, after listening to the witchcraft stories told by the cook of her house, seeks to convince her friend that she has these magical powers.

The film arises perhaps in the worst decade for Mexican cinema due to the precariousness in financing. It was during this period that directors and screenwriters had to find creative ways to work with minimal budgets.

The New Mexican Cinema (1990-2005)

With the creation of the Mexican Institute of Cinematography (IMCINE) in 1983, it was sought to return to the quality works characteristic of previous decades and filmmaking was widely promoted by the National Council for Culture and the Arts.

A new stage for Mexican cinema was beginning, from which the most important current figures in the world of cinema in Mexico would emerge: directors Guillermo del Toro, Alejandro González Iñárritu and Alfonso Cuarón; the actors Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna; and award-winning cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki.

Chronos

A debut feature from the acclaimed director, Cronos is a fantastic horror tale. In history, an artifact created by a Spanish alchemist in the 16th century, which provides health and eternal life, falls into the hands of an antiquarian from the 90s, who accidentally proves the benefits of the object.

The film received investment from the University of Guadalajara and won the Ariel award from the Mexican Academy for best film, director, screenplay and special effects, among others.

Dog loves

It is the first feature film of the now famous Mexican director. In the film, due to a spectacular car accident, three stories of people belonging to different social classes are intertwined; all of them have in common their close relationship with dogs.

The film was nominated for an Oscar for best foreign film and grossed ten times its initial budget, becoming the fifth highest grossing film in the country.

And Your Mother Too

It is a road movie, where two young lifelong friends - a wealthy son of a politician and a middle-class boy - take a trip to the beach with a Spanish woman, whom they met at a wedding..

The film has an omnipresent narrator and through the road trip you can appreciate various Mexican social and cultural aspects. The film was a box office success, was nominated for an Oscar for best screenplay and won the same category at the Venice Film Festival.

Contemporary Mexican Cinema (2006 - present)

In this last decade, commercial Mexican cinema has broken audience records, and year after year more Mexican films are made. For their part, a young group of Mexican filmmakers has achieved great success at prestigious international festivals, beginning a new stage for national cinema.

Silent light

It was carried out in northern Mexico, in a Mennonite settlement in Chihuahua. Silent Light tells the story of Johan, a married member of the community with children who has an extramarital affair with another woman, thus breaking the rules of his religion.

The tape is mostly spoken in Plautdietsch, also known as Mennonite Low German. It was well received by international critics and received the 2007 Cannes Film Festival Jury Prize.

After Lucia

After the death of his wife in a car accident, Roberto, a prominent chef from Puerto Vallarta, moves to Mexico City with Alejandra, his teenage daughter. As he slowly adjusts to his new job, his daughter is bullied by her new colleagues.

Alejandra, trying not to worry her father, never tells him about the bullying, which worsens during a school trip. The film gained popularity thanks to its bullying awareness message. It was well received by critics and won the award for best film in the Un certain regard section at Cannes.

Heli

It takes up the issue of drug trafficking and its consequences on society. Heli is a recently married young man who lives with his wife, their baby and Estela, his 13-year-old little sister. Estela falls in love with Beto, a boy who is in training to become a military man.

Trying to get money to flee with Estela, Beto steals some seized packages of cocaine, making everyone around him face the fatal consequences. The film won the Ariel award for best director and was a finalist for the Palme d'Or.

References

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