With the short film "Juanita, Más Allá de las Fronteras” (Juanita, beyond borders), by Mexican filmmaker Elena Franco , Mexico was the winner in the international contest organized by the NASA and the Houston Cinema Arts Festival , said the Mexican Space Agency (AEM).
The general director of the AEM, Javier Mendieta Jiménez , said that the short film defeated 238 other films from 52 countries around the world.
He emphasized that the " Mexican youth is again a pride for the country, and today the filmmaker Elena Franco , winner of the CineSpace 2018 contest, is the one who brings this triumph to Mexico for the second year in a row."
Mendieta Jiménez
explained that the short film tells the moving story of Juana Hernández Márquez , who pursued her dream in a contest to become the first astronaut in Mexico in 1985 .
In a statement, he explained that the short film tells her story along with 16 other semifinalist women, who fought to make their way in a field dominated by men.
He said that it was very emotional because the protagonist is the grandmother of the award-winning filmmaker , who said: "this triumph is not only for me, it is Mexico's, for those who promote culture , science and technology , and especially for my grandmother Juanita , an inspiration for all women and girls in Mexico ."
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