Guest of Honor

Soco Aguilar

Film producer, winner of the Ariel Award for La Leyenda de la Nahuala

With more than a quarter of a century dedicated to the art of storytelling through documentary film and television, Soco Aguilar has established herself as a creative force with a unique perspective. Originally from Mexico City, her career has taken her to work in locations as diverse as San Francisco, San Miguel de Allende, Austin, and beyond, allowing her to accumulate a wealth of experience in the sector.

Soco is best known for her work on the animated feature film “La Leyenda de la Nahuala,” which won the Ariel Award for Best Animated Production, solidifying her reputation as a producer of meaningful and culturally resonant content. Her portfolio also includes successful projects such as "Nikté" and "Todo Incluido," both distributed by Universal Pictures México, which have contributed to the dissemination of Latin culture and talent through animated narratives.

During her nine-year stay in San Francisco, Soco built a notable career as a producer of television documentaries for renowned entities such as WGBH Boston, PBS Frontline, and Discovery. Her independent documentary, "No Turning Back," offers a first-person account of the beginning of the Zapatista movement in Chiapas in 1994, demonstrating her commitment to exploring deep and significant social histories.

Her collaboration with mentors of the stature of Lourdes Portillo and Dr. Herbert Zettl has deepened her knowledge and sensitivity towards visual aesthetics and documentary narrative, aspects that have been fundamental in her work. This influence was evident in "The Devil Never Sleeps," a documentary that received recognition from The New Yorker as one of the documentaries that have defined the art of the genre.

In 2022, Soco presented "Vacío/Emptiness" in Mexico City, an animated short film exploring loss and parental love, directed by Ricardo Varela. Currently, she is developing the English version of her script "Si Vis Amari Ama" for a fiction feature film.

In addition to her notable career as a filmmaker and producer, Soco has shared her passion and knowledge as an adjunct professor at the Monterrey Institute of Technology, teaching courses in filmmaking, animation production, and screenwriting.

Off-screen, Soco is proud of her role as a mother to Pedro, Pablo, and Amalia, whose aspirations in film, business management, and aerospace engineering, respectively, reflect the legacy of creativity and excellence that she continues to inspire.

Nikté film screening

3:00 pm

SYNOPSIS

Nikté, an 11-year-old girl who lives in 2000 BC, in the splendor of the Olmec culture. She dreams of being a powerful princess, but is from a very humble position. One day in a lost jungle she finds part of a lintel with a prophecy inscribed that describes how a girl will reach the most important town in the Land of Rubber and proclaim herself a Celestial Princess.

DATASHEET

Nahuala Film Productions

Director: Ricardo Arnaiz Núñez

Production: Socorro Aguilar, Ricardo Arnaiz Núñez

Screenplay: Omar Mustre de León, Antonio Garcia

Genre: Animated adventure

Duration: 92 min

Country of origin: Mexico

Age: 8

Language: Spanish

Ideaz in Action

PRESENTATION: More Mexican than Mole: My Life as a Filmmaker

4:30 pm

Join us on a journey through the life and work of Soco Aguilar, where he will share his creative journey behind the screen and the power of cinematic narrative. From his beginnings to his most recent successes, including the special screening of his acclaimed film Nikté, this will be an unmissable experience for writers, producers, filmmakers, animators, and all art lovers.

Immerse yourself in a deep analysis of the creative process and cinematic storytelling, where Soco will reveal the layers of inspiration, challenge and triumph that make up the heart of his work. This keynote talk promises to be a rich journey through the unique vision of one of the most prominent voices in film and documentary production, offering valuable insights and an enriching perspective on what it takes to tell stories that captivate and endure.