Duncan Bridgeman’s documentary to kickstart three-day programme from Aug 17-19.

Taking place as part of the Shoreditch Fringe Festival, the inaugural London Mexfest is set to launch with the world premiere of Duncan Bridgeman’s Made In Mexico on Aug 17, taking place at Rich Mix in East London.

Bridgeman’s documentary is a portrait of the music of Mexico, its people and their way of life, and the screening will be followed by a live set from Amandititita who will play Anarcumbia, an urban blend of rock, reggae, rap, and traditional Mexican cumbia.

The festival will be closed on Aug 19 with a screening of Michel Franco’s debut feature Daniel And Ana (Daniel Y Ana). Franco’s second film After Lucia won this year’s Un Certain Regard prize at Cannes.

Other films screening at the festival include two titles from Miss Bala director Gerardo Naranjo, I’m Gonna Explode (Voy A Explotar) and Drama/Mex, Gael Garcia Bernal’s Déficit and Tatiana Huezo’s award-winning documentary The Tiniest Place (El Lugar Más Pequeño). Carlos Cuarón’s The Second Bakery Attack, starring Kirsten Dunst, and Elisa Miller’s Watching It Rain are among the short films playing at the festival.

There will also be a strand of sci-fis from Mexico that are rarely screened in the UK, such as Santo Vs. The Martian Invasion (Santo El Enmascarado De Plata Vs. La Invasion De Los Marcianos) about a masked wrestler repelling an invasion from Mars.

Outside of the films, London Mexfest will also host the first ever UK exhibition of Lucha Libre photographs by Lourdes Grobet and the first ever projection onto the Rich Mix facade by renowned artist Tupac Martir, titled The Gentleman, The Mermaid, Mexican Cinema, Lottery! (El Catrin, La Sirena, Mexican Cinema, Loteria!)

London Mexfest is presented by The British Council, The Mexican National Council for Culture and Arts, The Mexican Film Institute, Morelia International Film Festival, Ambulante and CANANA, with support from The Mexican Tourism Board, The Mexican Embassy in the UK. Cinepolis, José Cuervo are the festival’s official partners, while Wahaca is its official restaurant partner.

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