Finlandia

(Finlandia)
Horacio Alcalá | Drama, Fiction

2021 | 97 minutes | Spain, Mexico

In Oaxaca, Finlandia explores the lives of Muxes, a Zapotec third-gender community, weaving themes of identity, resilience, and cultural authenticity.

Synopsis

Belonging to a community of muxes fighting to reclaim their gender beyond the binary spectrum, Delirio, Amaranta, and Mariano go through their past, present, and future.

Marta, a designer, embarks on a journey to Oaxaca to document its rich traditions. As she navigates the fine line between admiration and cultural appropriation, her perception of reality—and herself—begins to shift. Living among the muxes, she is drawn to their struggles, passions, and unspoken traumas. Immersed in their world, Marta must confront her assumptions, desires, and a deeper meaning of belonging.

When a powerful earthquake shatters their world, they must confront not just the physical destruction, but also the deeper tremors of identity, resilience, and self-expression in a society that both reveres and resists them.

A visually stunning and deeply moving exploration of love, struggle, and the defiant beauty of being oneself, Finlandia is a cinematic ode to the strength of those who dare to live authentically.

Reviews

“A tale of memory, mysticism, and the master creativity of the Muxe. A multifaceted drama filled with life, love, and despair; a glorious explosion of creativity and cultural insight.” – Chad Armstrong, The Queer Review

“A sumptuous visual feast, enhanced by Alcalá’s background working for Cirque du Soleil.” – Doug Rule, Metro Weekly

“Muxe is neither a man nor a woman; it is beyond that. In 2014, Mexico City became the first jurisdiction in the country to legally recognize the third gender on official documents. This recognition allows individuals to choose “gender not specified” on their identification documents, reflecting the commitment to inclusivity and respect for self-identified gender identities.” – Cindy Roaming, Medium

Citation
Main credits

Alcalá, Horacio (film director)
Caballero, Jesús (screenwriter)
Barraza, Ernesto (film producer)
Menor, Raquel (film producer)
Hernández, Noé (actor)
Jiménez, Cuauhtli (actor)
Guasch, Andrea (actor)

Other credits

Cinematography, David Palacios; editing, Nacho Ruiz Capillass; music, Esteban Testolini.


Citation
Cataloging
Keywords
Finlandia,Horacio Alcalá,Horacio Alcala,drama,España,Spain,Mexico,México,Oaxaca,Muxes,LGBTQ+,Trans,transexual,indigenous,indigenous peoples,first nations,Noé Hernández,Ángeles Cruz,Angeles Cruz,Cuauthli Jiménez,Andrea Guasch,Erick Israel Consuelo,Leonardo Alonso,Raquel Menor,Silvia Matos,gender,sexuality,gender roles,gender identity,sexual orientation,gender equality,gender pronouns,gender studies,gender spectrum,gender norms,gender roles,gender stereotypes,sexual selection,sexualization,sexual awakening,puberty,pubescence,culture,identity,identity politics,culture wars,left wing,right wing,intersectionality,identity groups,civilization,literacy,humanism,cancel culture,online culture,cultural revolution,cultural diffusion,culture shock,popular culture,pop culture,material culture,cultural capital,cultural assimilation ,indigenous peoples,indigenous people,indigenous,native,native people,native peoples,aboriginal people,aboriginal,aborigine,indigene,indigeneity,tribes,tribal,tribal people,tribal peoples,anthropologically,cultural anthropology,forensic anthropology,anthropologist,human nature,physical anthropology,ethnocentric,ethnography,functionalism,cultures,societies,human people,human society,functionalism,globalization,ideology,pragmatism,dogmatism,social change,society,sociology,anthropology,psychology,sociological,sociological perspectives,conflict theory,human conflicts,sociological thinking,conflict perspective,topics in sociology,sociology topics,sociology studies,social studies,people and cultures,human relations,human relationships,cultural studies,culture studies,family,kin,fellowship,household,immediate family,extended family,multigenerational family,multigenerational household,kinfolk,family tree,genealogy,nuclear family,modern family,family tree,body image,appearance,body dissatisfaction,eating disorders,body acceptance,acceptance,body dysmorphic disorder,body dysmorphia,negative body image,distorted body image,confidence,self-esteem,self acceptance,fat acceptance,body acceptance,positive body image,negative body image,weight,fat,overweight,obesity,latin american studies,caribbean american studies,island studies,latin american culture,latin american history,latin american politics, caribbean american culture,caribbean american history,caribbean american politics,latin american languages,latin american and caribbean studies,hispanic american studies,hispanic people,hispanic culture,hispanic politics; "Finlandia"; Pragda Films,human rights,public rights,equal rights,freedom of expression,basic human rights,united nations,activism,human rights activism,human rights council,human rights commission,universal human rights,universal rights,economics,social class,money,capital,capitalism,class,economy,prejudice,intersectionality,inequality,poverty,income gap,wage gap,class warfare,elitism,snobbery,bourgeois,poverty,upper class,middle class,lower class,nouveau riche
Clips
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Festivals

Seattle International Film Festival - Best Director; FICCI Cartagena de Indias International Film Festival - Special Prize; San Francisco Int'l LGBTQ Film Fest - Best First Feature Nominee; Lovers Italy - Gio Stajano Award; Córdoba Film Week - Audience Award; Connecticut Out Film - Best Film; Toulouse Des-images-aux-mots - Audience Award; Outshine Fort Lauderdade - Jury Award; Campeche Film Festival -Best Film; Tallgrass Film Festival - Best Film

DIRECTOR: Horacio Alcalá

NATIONALITY: Spain, Mexico

YEAR: 2021

GENRE: Drama, Fiction

LANGUAGE: Spanish

COLOR / B&W: Color

GRADE LEVEL: High School, College, Adult

SUBTITLE/CC: AVAILABLE

AUDIO DESCRIPTION: NOT AVAILABLE

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