Neon-lit nights and rodeos pulsing with norteño rhythms frame a complex portrait of masculinity as the filmmaker traces an intimate journey with their own identity in Michoacán.
Director: EfraĂn Mojica & Rebecca Zweig
Runtime: 67
Fest Year: 2026
Riding in a white, rugged truck with co-directors EfraĂn Mojica and Rebecca Zweig through the rippling valleys of Penjamillo, Mexico, we quickly learn this story is far more than a love letter to the places that raised us. Through gripping veritĂ© scenes, Mojica and Zweig follow riders as they participate in bull wrangling, horse riding, dances, and other displays of virility in the jaripeo—or Mexican rodeo. “The kid from Morelia couldn’t cut it!” shouts the MC as bustling arena sounds and Mexican Banda beats converge. We merge with the crowds, connecting with striking characters who shape this energetic gathering. Lifelong friends Mojica and Zweig use surreal strobe-lit sequences, playful and sometimes disorienting Super 8 footage, and soul-stirring music to craft this absorbing, poetic look inside queer life thriving amongst machismo in traditionally oppressive spaces. (AT)