Panamerican Machinery (Spanish: Maquinaria Panamericana) is a 2016 Mexican-Polish absurdist comedy-drama film directed by Joaquin del Paso (in his directorial debut) and written by Del Paso & Lucy Pawlak.[1] Starring Javier Zaragoza, Ramiro Orozco, and Irene Ramirez.[2] The film was named on the shortlist for Mexican's entry for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film at the 89th Academy Awards, but it was not selected.[3]

Maquinaria Panamericana
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJoaquin del Paso
Written byJoaquin del Paso
Lucy Pawlak
Produced bySusana Bernal
Mauricio De La Garza
Santiago de la Paz
Joaquin del Paso
Marcin Malatynski
Jaime Romandia
Pawel Tarasiewicz
Joakim Ziegler
StarringJavier Zaragoza
Ramiro Orozco
Irene Ramirez
CinematographyFredrik Olsson
Edited byRaúl Barreras
Music byChristian Paris
Production
companies
Amondo Films
Black Maria
FOPROCINE
Mantarraya Producciones
Estudios Churubusco
Terminal
Lodz Film School
IMCINE
Release dates
February 14, 2016 (Berlinale)
June 9, 2017 (Mexico)
Running time
86 minutes
CountriesMexico
Poland
LanguageSpanish

Synopsis edit

It seems like any other Friday at Maquinaria Panamericana S.A., a company specializing in the sale and repair of construction and destruction machinery. The employees prepare for the coveted weekend, wasting time on little rituals and routines, until an unexpected twist snaps them out of their peaceful monotony. Don Alejandro, the owner of the company, is found dead in a spare parts warehouse. The discovery changes everything: the company is bankrupt, the senior workers have no job prospects, and no one will receive compensation for their work. In a state of confusion, fear, and sadness, the workers decide to lock themselves in the company.[4]

Cast edit

The actors participating in this film are:[5][6]

  • Javier Zaragoza as Jesús Carlos
  • Ramiro Orozco as Ignacio
  • Irene Ramirez as Soledad
  • Edmundo Mosqueira as Celestino
  • Delfino López as Delfino
  • César Panini as Golden Boy
  • Javier Camacho as Rubio
  • Israel Ruiz as Tonatiuh
  • Regina DuPacci as Arancha
  • Cecibon Garcia
  • Maricarmen Piña
  • Hilario Vega
  • Tania Canciolla
  • Efrén Esquivel
  • Franco Legorreta
  • Pedro Barbosa
  • Eduardo Castrejón

Release edit

The film had its international premiere on February 14, 2016, at the Berlin International Film Festival.[7] It was commercially released on June 9, 2017, in Mexican theaters.[8]

Reception edit

Critical reception edit

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 91% of 11 critics' reviews are positive.[9]

Jonathan Holland of The Hollywood Reporter wrote: "Modern Times and Bunuel apart, there’s a little of a lot of things in Panamerican Machinery. Absurdist, grotesque Lynchian comedy, as with the employer who strikes the ground with a metal rod in search of burst pipes, rubs up against the air of ‘70s countercultural protest movies, when anything went and when the satire wasn’t as subtle as it is today, and even with Lord of the Flies, as the staff considers murdering an intruder."[10] Lucero Solórzano from the newspaper Excélsior wrote: "Panamerican Machinery portrays a very current reality in our country, mired in labor, political, social and economic conflicts that deeply affect morale, undermine hope and cause collective instability... It's a bewildering, hypnotic film, with a sense of humor that at times feels ruthless, but portrays who we are in the here and now."[11]

Accolades edit

Year Award Category Recipient Result Ref.
2016 Torino Film Festival Special Mention - Feature Film Joaquin del Paso & Amondo Films Won [12]
Raindance Film Festival Best Screenplay Joaquin del Paso & Lucy Pawlak Won [13]
Monterrey International Film Festival Audience Award - Best Mexican Feature Film Joaquin del Paso & Amondo Films Won [14]
Miami International Film Festival Ibero-American Opera Prima Award - Best Film Joaquin del Paso & Amondo Films Nominated [15]
Guanajuato International Film Festival Best Feature Panamerican Machinery Won [16]
Guadalajara International Film Festival FIPRESCI Prize - Best Film Joaquin del Paso Won [17]
MEZCAL Award - Best Mexican Film Joaquin del Paso Won
Villa de Leyva International Independent Film Festival Best Film Panamerican Machinery Won [18]
Durango Film Festival Audience Award - Best Film Panamerican Machinery Won [19][20]
Special Jury Commendation - Feature Panamerican Machinery Won
Berlin International Film Festival Forum - Best Film Panamerican Machinery Nominated [21]
2017 Ariel Awards Best First Work Panamerican Machinery Nominated [22]
Best Original Screenplay Joaquin del Paso & Lucy Pawlak Won [23]
Breakthrough Female Performance Irene Ramirez Nominated [22]

References edit

  1. ^ "Joaquín del Paso habla sobre su ópera prima Maquinaria Panamericana". Time Out Ciudad de México (in Mexican Spanish). 19 May 2017. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  2. ^ "Maquinaria Panamericana". Cine PREMIERE (in Spanish). 2017-06-08. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  3. ^ "Goya y Oscar | AMACC". 2016-11-05. Archived from the original on 2016-11-05. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  4. ^ "Acción, comedia, drama y sátira, los estrenos de la cartelera para este fin de semana - Animal Político". www.animalpolitico.com (in Mexican Spanish). Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  5. ^ "Reparto Completo de Maquinaria Panamericana (Cine.com)". cine.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  6. ^ "Reparto de Maquinaria Panamericana (película 2016). Dirigida por Joaquín del Paso". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 2023-03-29. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  7. ^ "Joaquín del Paso nos habla de su debut en la Berlinale con "Maquinaria panamericana"". noticine.com. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  8. ^ "LatAm cinema » "Las hijas de Abril", "Fausto" y "Maquinaria Panamericana", en cines mexicanos". Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  9. ^ "Panamerican Machinery - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  10. ^ Holland, Jonathan (2016-03-20). "'Panamerican Machinery' ('Maquinaria Panamericana'): Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  11. ^ "Maquinaria Panamericana". Excélsior (in Spanish). 2017-06-13. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  12. ^ "Torino Film Festival (2016)". IMDb. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  13. ^ "OBTIENE MEXICO EL PREMIO AL "MEJOR GUIÓN" EN FESTIVAL DE CINE BRITÁNICO RAINDANCE". embamex.sre.gob.mx. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  14. ^ "Monterrey International Film Festival (2016)". IMDb. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  15. ^ "LatAm cinema » El Festival de Miami presenta una importante selección de cine latinoamericano en su 33ª edición". Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  16. ^ "Maquinaria Panamericana funciona en Guanajuato". El Universal (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  17. ^ "Cine Latino: Panamerican Machinery". Film Society of MSP. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  18. ^ Semana (2016-11-18). "Así es Maquinaria panamericana, la ganadora del Festival de Cine de Villa de Leyva". Semana.com Últimas Noticias de Colombia y el Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  19. ^ ""Maquinaria panamericana" triunfa en el Festival de Cine de Durango". ElMundo.net. 2016-05-23. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  20. ^ Nacional, Solo Cine (2016-05-23). ""Maquinaria panamericana" premiada por la crítica en Durango". Solo Cine Nacional (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  21. ^ ""Maquinaria Panamericana" at Berlinale - News | Lodz Film School". www.filmschool.lodz.pl. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  22. ^ a b "Premio Ariel". 2017-05-12. Archived from the original on 2017-05-12. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  23. ^ ""La 4ª compañía" gana 10 Ariel, incluyendo mejor película | La República EC" (in Spanish). 2017-07-12. Retrieved 2023-03-29.

External links edit