Jodie Foster, Juliette Binoche, Stellan Skarsgård Led Stars at Morelia

Newcomers triumphed at the 23^rd Morelia Film Festival (FICM) on Oct. 17 where a good number of first features took home the top prizes at this edition. Environmental thriller “The Reserve” (“La reserva”) by Pablo Pérez Lombardini scooped Best Feature, Director and Actress (Carolina Guzmán).

Pérez Lombardini’s debut feature first caught people’s attention at Ventana Sur last year. He not only takes home Ojo statuettes but also receives awards in cash and kind.

Based on real-life testimonies from environmental defenders, “The Reserve” follows a forest ranger’s unwavering fight to protect the forest encircling her remote village. Filmed with non-pros in a rural community in Chiapas, the pic captures the urgent, ongoing struggle faced by conservationists throughout Latin America.

More than 100 films made up the competition this edition. Hailed by Alfonso Cuarón as “a cultural landmark, not only for Morelia but for all of Mexico” and by Guillermo del Toro as “an essential platform for Mexico and global cinema… and one of the most important cultural events in the world,” the festival was founded and is still led by Daniela Michel.

The festival, which began Oct. 10 and wraps on Oct. 19, featured a constellation of international guests presenting their films throughout the week. These included Stellan Skarsgård (“Sentimental Value”), Juliette Binoche (“In-I: In Motion”), Jodie Foster (“Vie privée”), Gael García Bernal (“Amores Perros” 25th Anniversary), Kleber Mendonça Filho (“The Secret Agent”), Rodrigo García (“The Follies)”, Jafar Panahi (“It Was Just an Accident”), Charlie Kaufman (“How to Shoot a Ghost”), Cherien Dabis (“All That’s Left of You”), Lucrecia Martel (“Nuestra tierra”), Robin Campillo (“Enzo”) and Oliver Laxe (“Sirât”).

The Best Screenplay Ojo award went to Karen Plata for her work on childhood survival story “The Devil Smokes (and Saves the Burnt Matches in the Same Box)” by newcomer Ernesto Martínez Bucio, who snagged the Best First Feature Award at the Berlinale’s inaugural Perspectives strand.

Meanwhile, David Pablo’s “On the Road,” fresh from its big win at Venice, snagged the cinematography Ojo award for its DP Ximena Amann and Best Actors for its leads, Víctor Miguel Prieto and Osvaldo Sánchez.

Actress Mayra Hermosillo won the all-important audience award for her feature directorial debut “Vanilla,” which also had its world premiere at Venice, while Richard Linklater scored the international audience award for his “Nouvelle Vague.”

In the Mexican documentary section, “Being Olimpia” (“Llamarse Olimpia”) by Indira Cato, about Olimpia Coral Melo who campaigned against cybersex violence and became a feminist icon, nabbed the Ojo Prize that also includes cash and kind awards.

Among the Pics-in-Post angling for Post-Production awards in the festival’s industry section, Impulso Morelia, Dano Garcia’s “Mickey,” from femme-led Chicken & Egg Films, bagged three awards.

The jury led by Ava DuVernay (President) alongside Pablo Berger, David Linde and Andrea Pallaoro selected the following winners:

Ojo Award for Best Mexican Feature Film

“The Reserve” (“La reserva” by Pablo Pérez Lombardini)

Ojo Award for Best Direction in a Mexican Fiction Feature Film

Pablo Pérez Lombardini, for “The Reserve” (“La reserva”)

Casa Wabi–Escine Award for a First-Time Director

Nuria Ibáñez Castañeda, “The Guardian” (“El guardian”)

Best Cinematography in a Mexican Feature Film

Ximena Amann, for “On the Road” (“En el camino” by David Pablos)

Best Screenplay in a Mexican Fiction Feature Film

Karen Plata, for Ernesto Martinez Bucio’s “The Devil Smokes (and Saves the Burnt Matches in the Same Box)” (“El diablo fuma (y guarda las cabezas de los cerillos quemados en la misma caja)”

Ojito Award for Best Actress in a Mexican Feature Film

Carolina Guzmán, for “The Reserve” (“La reserva”)

Ojito Award for Best Actor in a Mexican Feature Film

Víctor Miguel Prieto and Osvaldo Sánchez, for “On the Road” (“En el camino”)

Audience Award for International Feature Film

“Nouvelle Vague,” Richard Linklater

Audience Award for Mexican Fiction Feature Film

“Vanilla” (“Vainilla, Mayra Hermosillo)

Special Mention in Mexican Fiction Feature Film

Basilio Moncada, for his performance in “The Guardian” (“El guardian”)

MEXICAN DOCUMENTARY (Jury: B. Ruby Rich, Andrei Ujică and Kathy Geritz)

Best Mexican Documentary Feature