Loreto’s International Film Festival will return for a third edition with Mexican actor Damián Alcázar as its marquee guest, organizers announced at a press conference in La Paz. Alcázar, one of Mexico’s most recognized screen actors, will receive a tribute for his contributions to Mexican cinema and hold a public conversation open to all attendees. The Loreto film festival has grown steadily since its debut, and this year’s lineup will spotlight filmmakers from Baja California Sur alongside the headliner’s visit.
Alcázar’s Career Spans Hollywood, Mexican Cinema, and Netflix
English-speaking audiences may not immediately recognize the name Damián Alcázar, but they have likely seen his work. Born in 1953 in Jiquilpan, Michoacán, he has appeared in more than 80 films across a career spanning four decades. He played Gilberto Rodríguez Orejuela, head of the Cali Cartel, in seasons three and four of the Netflix series “Narcos.” He voiced the character Xibalba in the 2014 animated film “The Book of Life,” produced by Guillermo del Toro.
Alcázar also appeared in Alfonso Cuarón’s “Y Tu Mamá También” (2001), a film that earned an Oscar nomination for best original screenplay. His leading role in “La Ley de Herodes” (1999), a dark political satire, cemented his reputation in Mexico as an actor willing to take on provocative material. He won Mexico’s Ariel Award, the country’s equivalent of the Oscar, for best actor in 2006 for “El Violín.” His presence at a small-town festival in Baja California Sur carries real weight in Mexican film circles.
Loreto Film Festival Has Grown Since Its 2023 Launch
The Festival Internacional de Cine de Loreto launched its first edition in 2023 as a modest effort by municipal and state cultural authorities to bring cinema programming to a town of roughly 20,000 residents. Loreto sits on the Sea of Cortez coast about 350 kilometers north of La Paz. It is better known for sport fishing, kayaking, and the Bahía de Loreto National Park than for arts programming.
The first two editions focused on short films, documentaries, and work by regional filmmakers from Baja California Sur. Organizers used the historic town center and small local venues for screenings. By its second year, the festival had attracted enough attention to draw support from the state government of Baja California Sur and the Loreto municipal government, both of which endorsed the event at the La Paz press conference.
Landing Alcázar as a guest marks a significant step up. Previous editions did not feature a nationally prominent actor. The festival’s organizers said this year’s program will again include screenings of work by Baja California Sur filmmakers, with the goal of building a pipeline for local talent. But the tribute to Alcázar and his public conversation are clearly designed to raise the event’s profile beyond the peninsula.
Loreto joins a growing list of small Mexican towns using film festivals as cultural anchors. Guanajuato has hosted its International Film Festival since 1998, drawing tens of thousands of visitors annually to a city of 80,000. San Miguel de Allende launched its own festival in recent years. Loreto’s version is far smaller, but the strategy follows the same logic: use cinema to attract visitors during shoulder seasons and build a cultural identity alongside the existing nature tourism.
Dates, Venues, and What Attendees Should Know
The source announcement did not specify exact dates for the third edition. Previous editions took place during the fall months. Organizers have not yet published a detailed screening schedule or ticketing information. Past editions offered free admission to most events, and the public conversation with Alcázar is confirmed as open to all attendees at no charge.
Screenings in prior years were held at venues in Loreto’s town center, within walking distance of the Misión de Nuestra Señora de Loreto, the first Spanish mission in all of the Californias, founded in 1697. The town is accessible by a roughly four-hour drive north from La Paz on Highway 1 or by direct flights into Loreto International Airport. Alaska Airlines operates seasonal service from Los Angeles, and Calafia Airlines connects Loreto to other Baja cities.
Hotels in Loreto range from boutique properties near the malecón to larger resorts at Nopoló, about eight kilometers south of town. Shoulder-season rates are typically lower than peak winter pricing, so a fall festival can make for an affordable trip.
Organizers said they will release the full program and screening schedule in the coming weeks. The announcement was first reported by BCS Noticias.