FICLosCabos Announces the Selected Projects for La Baja Inspira 2025

La Baja Inspira is the competitive section dedicated to celebrating stories born from the region.

Puerto Los Cabos, Mexico – December 1, 2025 – At a time when Mexican cinema is exploring new creative territories, La Baja Inspira recognizes and showcases filmmakers who capture the essence of the Baja California peninsula, from its landscapes to its communities, offering local audiences the opportunity to see themselves reflected on screen.

This program provides a space for the region’s talent to engage with Mexico and the world, strengthening cultural identity and solidifying Baja California as an audiovisual epicenter with its own distinct voice.

In this edition, the Escuela Superior de Cine (ESCINE) is participating in the evaluation process, lending legitimacy and credibility to each stage. The reach of this initiative speaks for itself. This year, the call for entries received 1,600 projects, a figure that confirms the region’s creative dynamism. From these, the committee selected 9 finalist projects, chosen for their narrative strength and their ability to represent the cultural and emotional diversity of the peninsula.

The selected projects for Baja Inspira 2025:

1. Title: Immensities Director: Ricardo Benet Synopsis: A marine biologist, species protector, and deep-sea navigator; a freediving photographer; and an astrophotographer, a guardian of the cosmos, meet in Baja California Sur to share their visions of the immensity of the universe and our planet.

2. Title: The Glow of the Firefly Director: Augusto Reyes Synopsis: Pedro, an indigenous migrant, returns to his village to attend his mother’s funeral. His family ties are broken, and he prepares to leave. Upon learning of the serious problem his brother Ismael is involved in, Pedro decides to stay and face the consequences of his absence.

3. Title: I Used to Look for the Light Out There Director: Diego Hernández Synopsis: Before moving from Tijuana, Annya and Cecilia give Graciela a peculiar acting workshop. At the end of one of the classes, Annya finds a strange object that, when she blows on it, produces a mysterious effect within her.

4. Title: Aguasal Director: Camila Pardo Cerezo Synopsis: Aguasal portrays the story of two brothers, Reyes and Luis Baños, who live in Corralero, an isolated Afro-Mexican town. Through their annual swimming competition, the universal values ​​of rivalry and brotherly love are revealed. In a place where water is everything, this competition is not only physical but also emotional, reflecting struggle, resilience, and a deep connection to their land.

5. Title: How to Tend a Garden? Director: Diana de Ayer Synopsis: A video essay that narrates my connection to the landscapes of Baja California Sur, where I was born and raised, and the ways in which time has transformed my relationship with the landscape.

6. Title: The Sleeplessness Director: Pau Ortiz Rosell Synopsis: Reality and artificial intelligence intertwine in a cautionary tale about the consequences of traditional masculinity through fatherhood. Juan Manuel, a fisherman in the bay of La Paz, confronts the legacy of his absent father and the anger and suffering it has generated within him, while also reflecting on his own mistakes as a father. A story that delves into the cycles of abandonment and the search for redemption.

7. Title: She Stays Director: Marinthia Gutiérrez Synopsis: In Tijuana, Mexico, Laura is accepted into a master’s program in dance abroad and has to make a decision quickly. That night, she goes out with her friend Ana, who assumes she won’t accept because she’s still hung up on her ex, José. Throughout the night, in the city center, Laura notices that several girls are watching her closely. Distracted and anxious, she can’t have fun like her friends and gets upset by the things they assume about her. After an encounter with José later, Laura takes her body to a sect of vampire dancers; the girls who watched her all night initiate her into the group.

8. Title: Among Actors Director: José Paredes Synopsis: Rodrigo and Diana are two best friends living in Tijuana who share the dream of succeeding as actors. To achieve this, Diana decides to travel to Mexico City in search of better opportunities, while Rodrigo is forced to stay behind due to unforeseen circumstances, hiding his true feelings for her, which go beyond simple friendship. They maintain their long-distance friendship, hoping that she will return and Rodrigo will have the opportunity to confess his true feelings.

9. Title: Between Two Lands Director: Sebastián del Callejo Synopsis: Rodrigo, a widowed father living in Tijuana with his mother and son, works without legal status at a hotel in San Diego, California. However, after the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, the border crossing closes, triggering a series of unfortunate events. The family must face the harsh reality of living separated by the busiest border in the world, grappling with the physical and emotional distance this situation imposes on their lives.

This selection clearly demonstrates that cinema created in Baja is not an appendage of the national industry, but a growing force that is redefining the conversation about what it means to film from the region.

This year, Baja Republic (@baja_republic), a platform that seeks to safeguard the spirit of the Baja California peninsula by supporting the existing efforts of organizations and individuals, joins the lineup with a special edition of its beer, which will be presented during the awards gala at Suelo Sur.

Baja Inspira 2025, in conjunction with the Gabriel Figueroa Film Fund, is part of FICLosCabos’ commitment to strengthening Mexican cinema through transparent, professional processes focused on developing new voices.

We thank all the filmmakers who participated. Each project broadens our perspective on cinema created on the peninsula and strengthens the presence of its stories on the cinematic landscape.

Don’t miss the presentation of the selected projects for Baja Inspira 2025, as well as the awards ceremony during the Festival. It will be a unique opportunity to discover new voices, celebrate the talent of Baja California, and witness firsthand the birth of stories that are expanding the map of Mexican cinema.

We invite you to purchase tickets and be part of this unmissable cinematic experience.