At the 24th Morelia International Film Festival, director Diego Enrique Osorno presented his vigorous and thought-provoking documentary, *Marcos: Another World Is Possible*. The film chronicles how, in 1994, a faceless man became the most visible face of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) indigenous rebellion—a development that took the world by surprise.
Through the figure of Subcomandante Marcos, the work delves into the struggle of the Zapatista communities, who—more than 30 years later—continue to forge their own unique way of resisting and living in the mountains of Chiapas.
“This film may seem like it belongs to the past, but in reality, it speaks more to the future,” noted Diego Enrique Osorno. “I also like to think that while it isn’t necessarily a ‘hopeful’ film, it is, in fact, a story that stands against resignation.” The director shared these thoughts after thanking the audience for attending, as well as the film’s production team—who were present in the theater—for their contributions to the project.
Osorno clarified that *Marcos: Another World Is Possible* “is not really a film about a single individual, but rather about one person’s capacity to open up dialogues and bring critical issues to the table. I believe the film possesses a very special energy—one that is much needed in these times—not only in relation to events in places like Paris or Guadalajara, but in the context of our contemporary world as a whole.”
It is worth noting that the creation of this feature-length documentary was grounded in an analysis of approximately 3,000 archival records, tracing the legacy of the 1994 EZLN uprising up to the present day. Osorno—who is also a journalist—spoke about the upcoming visit of the Zapatistas, during which they will meet with mothers and families searching for their missing loved ones—an “Encounter-Embrace” (Encuentro-Abrazo) scheduled for December in Mexico City. “Sometimes, everything can begin with an embrace. An embrace might seem like a very simple gesture to address a humanitarian crisis, yet it can serve as the starting point for building an alternative to the horrific violence we are living through, and for imagining new forms of resistance.”
Osorno explained that the documentary’s origins are rooted in two key elements: an interview he conducted with Subcomandante Marcos in 2017, and a statement titled “Between Light and Shadow” (*Entre la luz y la sombra*), released on May 25, 2014—the moment the figure known as Subcomandante Marcos transitioned into Subcomandante Galeano.
The documentary, *Marcos: Another World Is Possible* (*Marcos: Otro mundo es posible*), features testimonies from figures such as Elena Poniatowska and Juan Villoro. According to Diego Enrique Osorno, these individuals are aligned with the EZLN movement, as they have long addressed issues that are now central to the national agenda—such as the defense of water and land, the feminist movement, and the struggle against racism.
Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas Batel, who oversaw the presentation of *Marcos: Another World Is Possible* at the festival, remarked: “I am very pleased that you chose Morelia to present this work. I believe it is vital to continue using cinema as a lens to reflect on the various challenges and unresolved issues that persist in this country.”
Furthermore, the festival’s vice president highlighted the film’s significance in offering the audience in Morelia a window into perspectives and realities beyond their own daily lives. “Your work is a contribution to the national debate,” he added. “It serves a necessary purpose by bringing back to Michoacán certain moments and figures from our recent history—people and events that have profoundly shaped the path Mexico has taken over the last 30 years.”
The documentary *Marcos: Another World Is Possible* will be available on the streaming platform Netflix starting December 2.
