Mexico has selected the drama film “Sujo” as its entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 2025 Academy Awards. The movie tells the story of a young man growing up in a small Mexican town threatened by cartel violence.
“Sujo” follows the life of its title character after his cartel member father is murdered. Sujo is raised by his aunt in the countryside but grows up surrounded by poverty and danger. As a teen, Sujo gets drawn into the local drug gang. He later tries to escape his violent past. The film explores how destiny and the cycle of cartel activity impact Mexico.
The movie from directors Astrid Rondero and Fernanda Valadez won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year. Juan Jesús Varela plays the adult Sujo, supported by Yadira Pérez, Alexis Varela and others. Rondero, Valadez, and producers Diana Casarreal, Jewerl Keats Ross, Virginie Devesa, Jean-Baptiste Bailly-Maitre, and Nicolas Celis worked to bring the movie to life.
This marks Rondero and Valadez’s second feature film together after 2020’s “Identifying Features,” which also received awards recognition. Mexico has regularly made the Oscars shortlist in recent years with movies such as “Tótem,” “Bardo,” “Prayers for the Stolen,” and “I’m No Longer Here.” The country won in 2018 for Alfonso Cuarón’s “Roma.”
Audiences in North America will get to see “Sujo” starting November 29 through a limited theatrical release arranged by The Forge cinema group. Currently, the film continues on the international festival circuit with a screening at the San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain.
Mexico has until October 2nd to submit its entry for the 2025 Academy Awards. On December 17th, the Oscar shortlist will be announced containing 10 films. Final nominations will then be revealed on January 17th, 2025. As “Sujo” enters the race, it carries Mexico’s hopes of celebrating their film industry and issues of cartel violence through potential Academy recognition.
