For this the twenty-sixth edition of the Guanajuato Film FestivalOne of the cinematographic stories that we would like to recommend is “Resistencia Rotular” (Label Resistance), a short documentary that talks about the sad situation that occurred in Mexico City when the government of the Cuauhtémoc Mayor's Office decided to remove the signs from street businesses in said neighborhoods. 

Such an action was considered an affront to the respectable and fun popular graphic art of signs and a cruel attempt to impose the minimalist seal that poorly informed people consider to be “good taste” and that robs us as Mexicans of our identity by replacing it with something that is not part of our culture. 

This radical imposition did not go unnoticed and the situation went viral on social media and it is after this that the director Pamela Fink He wanted to contribute from his niche with diffusion, which is cinema. Preserving the art of signage through a documentary in order to present the problem to different eyes and levels is something that will help preserve this striking art. 

But as he carried out his film project, new problems were discovered and new solutions were provided. This is how we came to the workshop of master sign maker Juan Manuel Buentello, who for decades has practiced his praiseworthy profession helping merchants advertise themselves in a great way. 

The way he sees it, signage should be considered an art form and therefore preserved as such. His biggest concern is that signage is a profession in danger of extinction. Although there are young graphic designers who replicate the art digitally, there is little interest from the new generations to learn about the trade, making it very endangered. Buentello offers a helping hand to anyone willing to learn. 

On the other hand, and in keeping with the festival's theme of using technology and virtual reality, a digital filter was created at the initiative of Nadia Támez, founder of Synergy Studios, that uses the new logo of the Cuauhtémoc Mayor's Office (with which they replaced the signs of the stalls) to activate an Instagram filter that says "There Was a Work of Art Here" made by various master sign makers.

This form of protest shows us how new technologies can be implemented in a friendly way. 

That's why we invite everyone Saint Michael to view this interesting work Wednesday July 26th at 3pm at Teatro Santa Ana which will be part of the Women in Film Exhibition.