Aiming to promote the achievements of women who have worked in all areas of film, television and other audiovisual media, the Women in Film and Television Association is honored once more to pay tribute to two great women during the 2019 edition of the Guanajuato International Film Festival. 

Seeking to acknowledge the creative and working contributions from women in the audiovisual industry —offering a gender perspective to the analysis and reflection surrounding creative processes and production—, on this occasion, Women in Film and Television will bestow the MUSA (a statue created by sculptor Elena Somonte) upon actress Queta Lavat, and upon Lupita Ramírez, who has been cutting and restoring film negatives.

Queta Lavat, a legendary actress from the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema, has starred in more than a hundred movies alongside great directors and actors. These include Emilio Fernández, Ismael Rodríguez, Juan Bustillo Oro, Miguel Zacarías, Ismael Rodríguez, Jorge Negrete, Pedro Infante, Sara García and Silvia Pinal. She’s also had a long and varied career in theater and television, starring in more than 40 soap operas.

For her part, Lupita Ramírez, who has been cutting and restoring old film negatives since the 1970’s, has dedicated her life to this profession. She describes “cutting negatives” as “assembling images of different sizes that can be short, long or little and that proceed in quick succession, one after the other to create a fluid and logical story or idea”. Thus, she has participated in assembling the negatives for films such as Alfonso Cuarón’s Sólo con tu pareja; Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Amores Perros; and Francisco Vargas’ El Violín. The last few years she has worked on restoring the extensive Barbachano Collection.

All that’s left is to thank Sarah Hoch for the support and enthusiasm she provides every year by offering this space within the Guanajuato International Film Festival to highlight the work and creativity of women that has transcended and left a mark in the audiovisual industry in our country.

Concepción Taboada

President

Women in Film and Television Association