We pay tribute to two female cinema icons

The Women in Film and Television Association has spent 14 years pushing and recognizing the talents of many women that are now active in the film industry. Since 2001, GIFF has paid tribute to successful careers of Mexican women like La Musa and La Cruz de Plata. This year, the festivals pays tribute to two women who, for decades, have excelled in their fields.

Movies are a part of our audiovisual memory. It allows us to know where we came from, know each other individually and collectively and know the future that awaits us. This is why Guadalupe Ferrer has been a key ingredient for conservation and recovery of cult Mexican films. As director of the UNAM Filmoteca, Guadalupe Ferrer has been a professor for more than 30 years in said institution. Today she is renowned for her passion for cinema and her creativity and openness to new technologies that aid in film preservation (such as the transition from celluloid to digital). For her it’s a fundamental priority to store years and years of film from this country. “We have to be aware that we’re not individuals, we’re subjects. What’s different, when it’s shared, enriches instead of dividing. I’ve tried to do my task in the best way possible and I’m proud to be honored for doing what I love”, she said during her speech.Guadalupe Ferrer has shown serious dedication toward promoting Mexican cinema. While awarding the Musa and Cruz de Plata awards, Sarah Hoch thanked the support that Guadalupe Ferrer gave to the Festival during its first years, when it was still Expresión en Corto.

Premiere actress Jacqueline Andere was our second honoree of the day. With an acting career that spans over 50 years, with the respect and admiration of her audience and peers, Jacqueline Andere is one of the most renowned actresses today and is still active in television, cinema and theater. Hard-working and talented, she began her career doing small parts on the small screen and an extra in various films. Once she got a lead, she became one of the biggest stars of the big screen in Mexico.

At the end of the 1960’s, she worked in several films and won an Ariel in 1969. Two years later she starred in Yesenia, which made her a world renowned actress. Throughout her career she has matured and has selected more complex and demanding roles, and has successfully brought more than 100 characters to life. She thanked the Festival as well as the State of Guanajuato for the tribute and expressed a desire to get back into theater in Guanajuato.