The president of Asociación Árbol Rojo, Alejandro Silveira, confirmed the eighth Árbol Rojo Film Festival will run September 18–28 with activities in Chetumal, Bacalar, and Cancún. Organizers promise a broader lineup, returning special guests, and new initiatives to strengthen the public’s connection with independent and auteur cinema across southern Mexico.
Over seven previous editions the festival accumulated more than 2,000 screenings, 100 special guests, close to 90,000 spectators, and a support network of 500 allies and 80 collaborators. Those figures place it among the leading film forums in the southeast and give a solid base for this year’s expansion.
Árbol Rojo Film Festival Fundraising
To finance the larger footprint, partners gathered last Friday for the fundraising dinner “La Noche Roja.” Guest of honor Pablo Cruz Guerrero—who portrays “Chespirito” in the HBO series Sin querer queriendo—spoke about preparing for the role. He described months of conversations with Roberto Gómez Bolaños’s family, friends, and colleagues that opened personal archives and memories. The actor said audience response exceeded expectations, reflecting the enduring affection for the comedian’s legacy.
Silveira outlined a key innovation: box‑office screenings in partnership with Cinépolis. Alongside free outdoor shows, these ticketed sessions aim to boost competitiveness and help pay distributors while presenting classics and premieres from companies such as Universal and Sony Pictures. “We want to be on the same level as festivals like Morelia or Guadalajara. Some screenings will be free, but others will have a nominal fee to further boost the films and distributors,” he said.
Education remains central. Training spaces will operate at the Álamos Theater in Cancún, Cine Café in Chetumal, and historic San Felipe Fort in Bacalar. Silveira noted the first graduating class of FILMA University’s film program as proof the festival’s decentralization mission is working, bringing professional instruction to local youth rather than concentrating it in Mexico’s main urban hubs.
Gender equity at Árbol Rojo Film Festival
Gender equity will take a front seat through the “Mexican Cinema” Forum. Festival data show that of 240 Mexican feature films produced in 2024, only 24 percent were directed by women and fewer than 35 percent credited female screenwriters. Forum organizer Mael Mercader of production house La Marginal called the initiative “an act of resistance,” seeking more stories told by women and a broader range of perspectives capable of shifting social narratives.
The 2024 program will combine outdoor screenings, national premieres, retrospectives, meetings with filmmakers, and technical instruction. A free film‑production masterclass by Apix Film—recognized for industry excellence—will offer practical guidance to emerging talent.
After eight years of steady growth, Asociación Árbol Rojo positions this edition as its most ambitious. Silveira invited residents and visitors alike to attend and treat cinema as a bridge for dialogue and creativity in the region. With new funding channels, educational programs, and a focus on inclusion, the Red Tree Film Festival 2024 seeks not only larger numbers but lasting cultural impact across Quintana Roo.
