Sujo

Sujo
Theatrical release poster
Directed by
Written by
  • Astrid Rondero
  • Fernanda Valadez
Produced by
  • Astrid Rondero
  • Fernanda Valadez
  • Diana Arcega
  • Jewerl Keats Ross
  • Virginie Devesa
  • Jean-Baptiste Bailly-Maitre
Cinematography
  • Ximena Amann
Edited by
  • Astrid Rondero
  • Fernanda Valadez
  • Susan Korda
Music byAstrid Rondero
Production
company
Alpha Violet
Distributed by
  • Damned Distribution (FR)
  • The Forge (US)
BEAM Films (UK)
Release dates
  • January 19, 2024 (2024-01-19) (Sundance)
  • August 21, 2024 (2024-08-21) (France)
  • November 29, 2024 (2024-11-29) (United States)
  • December 5, 2024 (2024-12-05) (Mexico)
Running time
126 minutes
Countries
  • Mexico
  • United States
  • France
LanguageSpanish

Sujo is a 2024 coming-of-age crime drama film written and directed by Astrid Rondero and Fernanda Valadez [es], it stars Juan Jesús Varela.

The film had its world premiere at the World Cinema Dramatic Competition section of the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Grand Jury Prize. It was selected as the Mexican entry for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards, but was not nominated.

Plot

Josué, a sicario for the cartel, is assassinated, leaving his 4-year-old son Sujo behind. Sujo's aunts, Nemesia and Rosalía, take him to be raised in a remote mountain shack. Sujo spends his childhood in isolation, with only his aunts and Rosalía's sons, Jai and Jeremy.

As the boys grow older, Sujo and his peers rebel and become involved with the drug violence around them. During a turf war, Jeremy is killed, and Sujo's aunt Nemesia sends him off to live in Mexico City.

Release

The film debuted at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival on January 19, 2024. Its festival run also includes screenings at the 72nd San Sebastián International Film Festival ('Horizontes Latinos' strand) and the 2024 BFI London Film Festival.

Damned Distribution set an August 21, 2024 theatrical release date in France. The Forge acquired North-American distribution and set a November 29, 2024 theatrical release date in Canada and the United States. Beam Films acquired distribution films in the United Kingdom.

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 97% of 29 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.4/10. The website's consensus reads: "A consistently gripping coming-of-age story, Sujo reaffirms Astrid Rondero and Fernanda Valadez as two of the most exciting rising talents in Mexican cinema." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 80 out of 100, based on six critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. Reviewing for IndieWire, Carlos Aguilar graded the film an 'A', citing the film as "intricate in meaning and scope."

In September 2024, the Academia Mexicana de Artes y Ciencias Cinematográficas chose the film as Mexico's submission for the Goya Award for Best Ibero-American Film and for the Academy Award for Best International Film.

Awards and nominations

Award Ceremony date Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Sundance Film Festival January 26, 2024 World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic Sujo Won
San Sebastián International Film Festival September 28, 2024 Latin Horizons Nominated
Spanish Cooperation Award Won
Palm Springs International Film Festival January 12, 2025 Ibero-American Award Won

See also

References

  1. ↑ Jones, Holly (January 18, 2024). "UTA Snaps Up Domestic Sales for Buzzy Mexican Sundance Title 'Sujo,' 'Identifying Features' Creators' Unconventional Narco Narrative (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on January 27, 2024. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Soju". Sundance Film Festival. Archived from the original on December 7, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Program Guide | 2024 Sundance Film Festival". festival.sundance.org. Archived from the original on December 7, 2023. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  4. ↑ Economou, Vassilis (June 18, 2024). "Filmfest München unveils its full programme". Cineuropa. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  5. ↑ Delgado, Eliza (January 21, 2024). "'Sujo': Growing Up in Drug Wars - The Daily Utah Chronicle". Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  6. 1 2 Kay, Jeremy (September 6, 2024). "The Forge lands North American rights to Sundance prize-winner 'Sujo', plans awards run (exclusive)". ScreenDaily. Archived from the original on December 19, 2024. Retrieved October 13, 2026.
  7. 1 2 Tabbara, Mona (September 10, 2024). "Sundance winner 'Sujo' picked up for UK by new distribution outfit Beam Films (exclusive)". ScreenDaily.
  8. ↑ Lépine, Cédric (August 13, 2024). "Entretien avec Astrid Rondero, coréalisatrice du film "Hijo de sicario" (Sujo)". Mediapart.
  9. ↑ "Sujo". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved July 17, 2024. Edit this at Wikidata
  10. ↑ "Sujo". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  11. ↑ Aguilar, Carlos (January 19, 2024). "'Sujo' Review: A Darkly Lyrical Portrait of the Systems That Force Mexican Men Into the Drug Wars". IndieWire. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  12. ↑ "'Sujo', Astrid Rondero y Fernanda Valadez, representará a México en los Oscar y Goya". La Crónica de Hoy. September 23, 2024. Archived from the original on September 25, 2024. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  13. ↑ Rodríguez, Andrés (January 26, 2024). "'Sujo' de las mexicanas Astrid Rondero y Fernanda Valadez, gana el premio a mejor película internacional en Sundance". El País. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  14. ↑ "The Complete List of 2024 Sundance Film Festival Award Winners". Sundance Film Festival. January 26, 2024. Archived from the original on March 19, 2024. Retrieved October 13, 2026.
  15. ↑ Taylor, Nick. "San Sebastián Announces Their Competition Slate!". The Film Experience. Archived from the original on December 14, 2024. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Todos los ganadores del Festival de San Sebastián 2024". Escribiendo Cine. September 28, 2024. Archived from the original on September 29, 2024. Retrieved October 13, 2026.
  17. ↑ "'I'm Still Here' Takes Top Honor at Palm Springs International Film Festival". January 12, 2025. Archived from the original on January 18, 2025. Retrieved October 13, 2026.