The actors take control
2026 is becoming something unexpected: the year in which the well-known faces of the Mexican screen decide that they no longer just want to act. They want to lead. And they are doing it their way.
They don’t come from film school, but they bring decades of experience on sets. They have observed, learned and now have stories to tell—just those that the algorithms of the platforms or large commercial production companies usually ignore.
A new style behind the camera
His method is different. Communication with the cast is more intuitive; Sometimes a gesture or a sound is enough. They do not pretend to know everything and surround themselves with experts in photography or design. It’s like returning to artisanal cinema, far from massive productions.
Ana de la Reguera was one of the first. After directing episodes of her series ‘Ana’, she made her film debut with ‘A man every week’, which has already attracted half a million viewers. She worked with co-director Marco Polo Constandse for the staging, while she herself acted.
Claudio Roca, known for ‘Narcos’, took the leap because he couldn’t find anyone to tell his story. Together with Natasha Dupeyrón, he filmed ‘Manual de una couple’ in a single house, portraying the final 12 hours of a relationship. > “Who hasn’t gone through a situation like this?” he says.
Daniel Giménez Cacho debuted at age 64 with ‘Juana’, a story about a journalist and the violence that took more than a six-year period in the making. > “He was worried about not dying in front of his family, that was captured,” he comments about the character.
For Horacio García Rojas, actor of ‘Diablero’, his debut film ‘The Echo Reflection’ raises an uncomfortable question: > “Where does the violence end?” It is a secretly filmed duel between CDMX and San Miguel.
Mayra Hermosillo brought her life to the screen with ‘Vainilla’, a film that has already won awards at several festivals. Regarding the risk of directing, he admits: > “If I think about it too much, I don’t do it.”
They are changing the rules of the game. They did not wait for permission. They just grabbed the camera.
