The third edition of the Festival Internacional de Cine de Loreto (FICLO) will run April 17 to 19 in the Pueblo Mágico town on the Sea of Cortez. Mexican film star Damián Alcázar, known internationally for his roles in “Narcos: Mexico” and “The Crime of Padre Amaro,” is confirmed as the festival’s special guest.
Loreto Mayor Paz del Alma Ochoa announced the lineup at a press conference alongside festival director Claudia Pérez Ávalos, Baja California Sur’s Undersecretary of Tourism Fernando Ojeda, and state culture institute director Víctor Hugo Caballero. The mayor said this edition builds on a project launched in 2024 to create a meeting point between filmmakers and audiences.
Free Screenings and Filmmaker Conversations
All screenings, panels, and cultural activities during the three-day event will be free and open to the public. The program includes an official short film competition judged by a specialized jury, along with conversations between filmmakers and attendees. Organizers said the festival aims to promote Baja California Sur filmmaking talent while positioning Loreto as a cultural tourism destination.
Separately, Loreto’s environmental nonprofit Eco-Alianza de Loreto announced its own Loreto Film Festival on April 24 and 25. That two-day event will feature outdoor screenings under the stars, including “The Last Dive,” which won Best Cinematography at Tribeca and has played at over 40 festivals worldwide. Eco-Alianza’s screenings will also be free.
Back-to-Back Film Weekends in Loreto
The two events give Loreto consecutive weekends of film programming in late April. The town, located about 350 kilometers (220 miles) north of La Paz on Highway 1, is best known for snorkeling, kayaking, and sport fishing in Loreto Bay National Park. It recently received an upgrade to international port status, part of broader state and federal efforts to grow tourism beyond the Los Cabos corridor.
For schedules and venue details on the FICLO festival, organizers recommend following their Facebook page (Festival Internacional de Cine Loreto) or Instagram account (@FICLoreto). Eco-Alianza’s event details are available at ecoalianzaloreto.org.
The festival was first reported by Palabra BCS, with additional details from Círculo Político BCS and El Sudcaliforniano.