Frida Kahlo, the beloved transgressive Mexican painter from the 20th Century has been an object of affection not only of Art dealers and experts but film artists and moviegoers worldwide.
Thus, in the early 80s independent Mexican filmmaker Paul Leduc (“Reed:Mexico Insurgente”) lifted up the indie film “Frida: Naturaleza viva” (1983), which before it became a cult classic it won 8 Ariel Awards, the equivalent of the Academy Award in Mexico, including the ones of Best Picture; Best Director; Best Actress for Ofelia Medina and Best Set Decoration for Alejandro Luna, Diego Luna’s father, among others.
Early on the new Millenium, it was Mexican actress Salma Hayek who developed a more risky biopic which by the title of “Frida” and the direction of Julie Taymor (“Titus”) was in the end a big winner also for most of her crew giving Salma her first Academy Award nomination for Best Actress; winning two Oscars for Best Makeup and Best Music Score and opening the wave for more promising artists such as cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto and the aforementioned Diego Luna, among others.
Last January “Frida” did it again in the format of an acclaimed documentary by editor Carla Gutierrez (“RBG”) on her amazing feature film debut and produced, among others, by Hollywood moguls Brian Grazer and Ron Howard through their company Imagine. Frida, won the Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival 2024. Gutierrez’s big triumph is not only on a technical level which is a delight as it combines archival footage of real Frida and her world with first rate animation and AI but the heart of the story are Frida’s word by herself the way she was in real life through her diaries: raw, combative and authentic. A relevant feminist icon not only to the world but who defeated her own physical and cultural boundaries as a female in the 20th Century Mexico. Truly an icon that has stood for the ages. For a time when Migrants. Women and LGBTQ rights are threatened, “Frida” is the explosive fuel to keep the lucha going. Viva Frida!!! Frida is now on Prime.
Alfredo Galindo is un Productor, Director y Guinista de cine. Columnista del periódico Vanguardia desde 1995, escribe sobre música, cine y televisión. Combina la pasión de escribir con la creación cinematográfica.