Mexican film 'Tijuana, Todavía' enters Venice Queer Lion competition

The short version

• Director Gabriel Gutiérrez Morales's feature 'Tijuana, Todavía' is competing for the Queer Lion award at the 83rd Venice Film Festival.[Variety]
• The narrative follows a young queer Russian draft resister and a middle-aged gay man in northern Mexico.[Variety]
• The project was created in 10 months with a €200,000 grant from Biennale College – Cinema.[Variety]
• Lead actor Petr Filimonov drew on real-life experience after fleeing Russia following an anti-war arrest.[Variety]

Key facts

• The film 'Tijuana, Todavía' was made on a budget of €200,000 ($234,000) and entered competition for the Queer Lion at the Venice Film Festival.[Variety]
• Biennale College – Cinema gave the filmmakers 10 months to develop, write, produce, shoot, and complete the film.[Variety]
• The story centers on Maksim, a queer draft resister who fled Russia, and Chava, a middle-aged gay man in northern Mexico.[Variety]
• Actor Petr Filimonov fled to Mexico after being detained in Russia for opposing the war in Ukraine.[Variety]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.

• Mexico’s Venice Queer Lion Contender ‘Tijuana, Todavía’ Trains a Spotlight on the Plight of a Gay Refugee Fleeing PersecutionVariety metered