GUADALAJARA.- Baja Californians Nicolasa Ruiz and Diego Hernández received the award granted by Cine Qua Non Lab in the "Talents Guadalajara" section at the 37th edition of the Guadalajara International Film Festival (FICG). Both directors were selected to participate in this program of talks, "master classes" and advice for the development of their projects, as reported by Abelardo Vázquez Ramos, Director of Creative Industries of the Ministry of Economy and Innovation (SEI). Cine Que Non Lab is a non-profit organization based in Morelia, Mexico and New York City. Founded in 2010 with the mission of supporting independent cinema by providing a space for creators to develop their work. This lab focuses on storytelling and has bilingual creative residencies.

The first prize went to Nicolasa Ruiz, from Mexicali, with “Mi Interior es una de las Cosas Más Hermosas y Extrañas del Mundo”, and consists of a plot line workshop; for his part, Diego Hernández from Tijuana received the second prize for script analysis consultancies with the project “El Fin de la Infancia”. Cine Que Non Lab recently supported projects such as “Las Niñas” (2020) written and directed by Pilar Palomero, which was eventually awarded the Goya Awards for Best Film, Best Debut Director and Best Screenplay in Spain; Likewise, the Mexican feature film scripts “Dos Estaciones” by Juan Pablo González, “Los Días Francos” by Ulises Pérez Mancilla, and “Museo” by Alonso Ruizpalacios, among others, have been participants in this laboratory, as reported by Javier Espinoza, Baja Film Commissioner.

Nicolasa Ruiz has directed two documentary short films, “J.R” (2018), selected at the UNAM International Film Festival (FICUNAM) and the Black Canvas Contemporary Film Festival, and “Obachan” (2020), named Best Documentary Short Film at Shorts México 2021 and participant of the Morelia International Film Festival. For his part, Diego Hernández directed the feature films “Los Fundadores” (2021) and “Agua Caliente” (2022), both selected at FICUNAM and obtaining the Silver Puma Award for Best Film for the first feature film; It is currently in the selection of the Marseille International Film Festival (FID) with the second in the Other Gems section.

To conclude, the director said that through the Baja California Film Commission, audiovisual production in the state is facilitated and the work of the audiovisual artists of Baja California is promoted.