Midaq Alley

Directed by Jorge Fons
Film Movement Classics
1995
140 Minutes
Mexico
Spanish
Drama, LGBTQIA2S+, Classics, Latin American
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Heated tempers, frustrated desires and dashed hopes plague a diverse group of individuals whose lives cross paths in Mexico City. There is the bar-owner's son, Chava (Juan Manuel Bernal), who yearns to emigrate to America. A poor barber, Abel (Bruno Bichir), is madly in love with the gorgeous Alma (Salma Hayek), who eventually becomes a high-class prostitute. Finally, there is Susanita (Margarita Sanz), the desperate spinster who pursues many love affairs in hopes of finding a husband. Adapted from the novel of the Egyptian Nobel prize winner Naguib Mahfuz.

Director & Cast

  • Director: Jorge Fons
  • Starring: Salma Hayek
  • Starring: Maria Rojo
  • Starring: Bruno Bichir
  • Starring: Ernesto Gomez Cruz
  • Starring: Margarita Sanz

Where to Watch

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Trailer

Photos

Reviews

  • "One of the best Mexican films since Like Water for Chocolate . . . A vibrant portrait of millennial Mexico City"
    Ed Morales, Village Voice
  • "Vet Mexican director Jorge Fons does a superlative job of translation and transformation in “Midaq Alley,” a riveting and well-acted drama based on the novel by Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz. "
    Joe Leydon, Variety
  • "Fons' film is an ambitious, absorbing and expertly filmed account of lives made and broken on Midaq Alley."
    Deborah Hornblow, Hartford Courant
Winner
Golden Ariel for Best Picture
Ariel Awards
Winner
Silver Ariel for Best Director
Ariel Awards
Winner
Silver Ariel for Best Actress
Ariel Awards
Special Mention
Berlin Int'l. Film Festival
Official Selection
Toronto Int'l. Film Festival
Winner
Audience Choice Award
Chicago Int'l. Film Festival
Winner
Silver Spike
Valladolid Int'l. Film Festival
Winner
Best Director
Havana Film Festival
Winner
Audience Award
Guadalajara Film Festival