UNTITLED LORENA
CO-DIRECTORS: RODRIGO REYES + DAWN VALADEZ
After losing her 12-year-old daughter Fátima to a horrible attack and fleeing her home in a village in Mexico, Lorena leads her family on a quest for justice against a corrupt system that kills thousands of women and girls each year, taking her fight to the country’s Supreme Court.
PITCH + TEASER
VOTING OPENS MONDAY, APRIL 15 • 10AM PT
VOTING CLOSES WEDNESDAY, MAY 1 • 11:59PM PT
SYNOPSIS
As the fight for women’s rights intensifies in Mexico – and the number of femicides continues to increase at alarming rates – our film is an intimate portrait of how Lorena is fighting for justice in a system that has continued to fail to protect them.
In 2015, Lorena’s daughter Fátima was brutally murdered in her village—she was only 12 years old. The result of this horrific crime was a terrifying judicial process full of death threats, exile and corrupt government actions. Combining the personal sorrow of a family with their public struggle for justice, our film follows Lorena’s journey as she balances the role of mother, wife, activist, mentor and leader of women–all in an effort to preserve the beautiful memory of her daughter.
At a time when women in almost every corner of the world are experiencing a backlash that includes constant attacks on their right to their body sovereignty, to be free, safe and to have their basic human rights protected, UNTITLED LORENA is a cinematic portrait of how women are fighting against a society that is flooded with violence against women. Centered on the voices of people at the frontlines of social, legal and spiritual change, we want audiences to walk away with a deep understanding of why this harm is perpetuated, and how it can be stopped—all while honoring the journey of the women leading the fight.
It is estimated that a woman is killed every two hours in Mexico. 95% of these murders go unsolved.
These acts not just happen because of corruption, but are also perpetuated by a machismo culture that breeds indifference and contempt for the dangers faced by women and girls, with particular harm to indigenous, queer, and trans communities. Adding fuel to the fire is the country’s very own leader, the Mexican president in charge of leading a nation of 130 million has frequently called feminists the enemies of the people.
Yet every year, against these daunting odds, hundreds of thousands of women take to the streets across Mexico to demand equal rights to life and dignity. They are a legion—and they have millions of allies. At a time when women’s rights groups are mobilizing communities across the world, from the US to Iran, Japan, Latin America, and Western Europe, the struggle of Mexican mothers has the potential for wide release, worldwide.
DIRECTORS’ STATEMENTS
RODRIGO REYES
As a Mexican-American I am deeply interested in the challenges confronting my homeland. I am also keenly aware of the unique privilege of my position as a filmmaker able to draw support from the USA and work as a bridge to help stories from Mexico blossom on the world stage.
UNTITLED LORENA is perhaps the most significant project of my career, because it speaks to an urgent and brutal human rights crisis that is at the heart of the challenge of governability facing Mexico. As a Mexican man, I acknowledge the key role of the patriarchy in exploiting and murdering women, and I am deeply committed to helping interrupt and dismantle its power.
Lastly, I am also incredibly excited to collaborate with my hermana, Dawn Valadez. I learn from her everyday; her love and empathy have made me a better storyteller. I know that together we will bring tremendous joy and love to UNTITLED LORENA and capture a vibrant call to action that will resonate across the world.
DAWN VALADEZ
Losing a child is a nightmare for any mother. One of my jobs as a feminist mother is to raise my son to be a man who is respectful of himself and of the women in his life, to be a person who cares about justice. As a survivor of childhood abuse, I know only too well the harm that may happen to children. As a queer woman, I know that queer, gender-expansive, and trans people are at a higher risk of experiencing misogynistic violence and murder. Our indigenous sisters across the Americas experience violence at significantly higher rates.
The global epidemic of femicide is rooted in systems of inequity and a lack of basic respect for girls’ lives. I have seen the results of violence against women and girls in my own family, in the communities I work in, and in the world around me. Lorena’s story is one of grief and rage but more importantly, it is a story of transforming that rage into action. Lorena had a choice, she could sit at home and mourn the death of her daughter Fatima or she could use her knowledge of the system that led to the murder and demand justice for her daughter and the thousands of daughters. UNTITLED LORENA transform their grief into rallying calls for justice. I seek stories of hope and transformation that demonstrate the possibility of system change. It is an honor to work with Lorena to facilitate the telling of this story. Being invited by my dear friend Rodrigo to work alongside him on this powerful story, a man of true integrity and respect for women is a dream opportunity. Together with this team we will create a story of hope that challenges the status quo and never forgets these daughters.
PROJECT INFO.
| LENGTH (MINUTES): | 76:40 |
| LANGUAGE: | Spanish |
| START OF PRODUCTION: | January 01, 2023 |
| EXPECTED DELIVERY: | August 01, 2025 |
| SHOOTING FORMAT: | 4K Arri Alexa |
| SHOOTING LOCATIONS: | Mexico City |
| TOTAL BUDGET: | $598,175. |
| PRODUCTION COMPANY: | Reyes and Valadez |
| PRODUCTION COUNTRY: | United States |
| CONFIRMED PARTNERS: | DocsMx |
| BUDGET GAP: | $498,175. |
| CURRENT PROJECT STATUS: | We are currently in late development and early production of the film. We have developed a pitch deck and a core application. We conducted test interviews and a film shoot in Mexico in November from which we were able to develop a proof of concept. We have received funding for development from several institutional and family/ individual donors. We have secured agreements from Lorena and her family to create the film and collaborate on the project. |
PITCH TEAM
RODRIGO REYES
CO-DIRECTOR • PRODUCER
Mexican director RODRIGO REYES is a recipient of the prestigious Guggenheim and Creative Capital Awards, the Rainin Artist Fellowship and is currently a Stanford University Mellon Fellow. Rodrigo’s films have won numerous recognitions, including the Best Film Award at Sheffield DocFest with “Sansón and Me” in 2022.
DAWN VALADEZ
CO-DIRECTOR • PRODUCER
DAWN D. VALADEZ, a second-generation Xicana and queer artist is a dynamic force in filmmaking, social work, and artistry. Her 2018 film, “The Pushouts” (2018), won the Imagen Best Documentary award. Recognized by the Ford Foundation/Just Films, Sundance Documentary Fund, Latino Public Broadcasting, and Tribeca All Access, as well as the Al Bendich Berkeley Film Foundation Award (2017) and won a Chicago Media Project Impact Prize (2018). Some of her producer credits include “Hummingbirds” (2023) and “Manzanar, Diverted” (2021).