Presentation by Alejandro Montes Santamaría

Discussing the relevance of a Horror Film Festival today may seem unnecessary. However, 24 years ago, those of us who were fans of the monstrous, grotesque, and terrifying had to defend this genre as a totally valid cultural expression.

The Macabro Festival would be the first of its kind in Mexico. It raised its voice and opened a window to highlight these artistic expressions, which have always existed in cinema, even though they had been downplayed. Today, 24 years after its first edition, #MacabroFICH has become a benchmark for discovering the cutting edge of what is being produced—and I would dare to say—it gives us a glimpse into the future of horror and terror productions.

As a self-confessed fan of the genre, I am thrilled to know that Macabro is reaffirming its commitment to Mexican cinema and that we will be able to see a number of national premieres, as well as a talk between Mexican directors who will discuss their vision of the current state of national horror cinema. This year, Macabro joins in the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Museo del Chopo, a venue that has always been present in the activities and setting of many national productions of the genre. For this reason, Alejandro Jodorowsky's film LA MONTAÑA SAGRADA will be screened.

In addition, we will be able to see a selection of short and feature films from the Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica (CCC), which is also celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Something I will always appreciate about a festival like MACABRO is the opportunity to see the best of international productions, especially Latin American short films. But I also celebrate the fact that this year, extreme American cinema is back with pure horror and gore films, allowing us to celebrate the 65th anniversary of a classic like Psycho.

As every year, the academic and industry aspects will be covered, with a discussion to mark the centenary of the birth of American writer Richard Matheson, led by Sandra Becerril, who will be joined in the discussion by Matheson's son. The San Fernando Cemetery, a traditional venue for the festival, will be the setting for the screening of three films based on Matheson's texts: Omega Man, Duel, and The Shrinking Man.

I have had the privilege of enjoying the friendship and collaboration of Edna Campos and her entire team since 2011, when we began combining Macabro activities with the AURORA Festival in the city of Guanajuato, which celebrated its twentieth anniversary in its most recent edition.

May this 24th edition of MACABROFiCH serve as a preview of what awaits us in 2026, when we will be celebrating our 25th anniversary. Let the party begin!

Alejandro Montes Santamaría

Director of Aurora: Guanajuato International Horror Film Festival and visual artist.