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The Suffragists

The documentary tells the story of Eufrosina Cruz, an indigenous woman from Oaxaca, Mexico. The documentary details her political struggle, as well as the history of Mexican women’s long fight for political power.

  • Ana Cruz
    Director
    Revolucionarias: Carmen Serdan, Revolucionarias: Sara Perez de Madero, Mujeres de la revolución mexicana
  • Ana Cruz
    Writer
  • Ana Cruz
    Producer
  • Laura Imperiale
    Producer
  • Nicolás Celis
    Producer
  • Eufrosina Cruz
    Key Cast
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Las Suffragistas
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    Women's Studies, Female Director, Mexico, Latin America, Indigenous Studies, Politics, Anthroplogy, Biology, History, Social Justice, Political Science, Activism, Suffrage, Women's Rights
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 17 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    June 1, 2012
  • Country of Origin:
    Mexico
  • Country of Filming:
    Mexico
  • Language:
    Spanish
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Many awards and festivals. See attached press kit.
Distribution Information
  • EPF Media
    Country: United States
    Rights: All Rights
    Country: Canada
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Ana Cruz

Ana Cruz was born in Mexico City and has a Degree in Communication Sciences from Iberoamericana University. She also studied cinema at the University of Southern Californian (USC) and Universal Studios in Los Angeles. In order to specialize in documentary film direction, Ana Cruz attended the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in London. Ana Cruz has worked for over 30 years at Mexican public radio, television and cinema national institutions and also as an independent director, producer and scriptwriter. She has won recognition and several screenwriting and producing awards for radio and television cultural series including the National Award for Journalism, and the Silver Microphone Award. From 2007 to 2012, Ana Cruz was CEO of Arte y Cultura en Movimiento, her own audiovisual production company, where she produced several television series and documentary films.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

For several years, I have been interested in women’s stories and themes. When I finished my documentary “Women of the Mexican Revolution,” I heard Eufrosina Cruz on the radio talking about her life and struggle to be elected the Municipal President of her community, a right that was denied for because she is a women. I was struck by her story; a woman in 2008 was fighting for the same rights that the women of the Mexican Revolution had fought for a hundred years ago. At that moment, I decided I had to meet Eufrosina and tell her story and to confront the issues of women in politics and women’s right to vote.

I sought Eufrosina out and managed to speak with her on the telephone. “I want to meet you, give me an appointment.” Eufrosina was already a member of the MP in Oaxaca when I went to meet her. I talked with her about my project, and we immediately developed a very good chemistry that allowed us to sign an agreement so that I could raise the funds to make the documentary. When we finally raised the funds, Eufrosina was very happy, and she shared with me that in the next few days, she would become the first indigenous woman to preside over the Congress of Oaxaca. Eufrosina had achieved her first goal.

The people who have seen the documentary are very excited. I believe that I accomplished telling Eufrosina’ story and the stories of the many women who went through the long struggle to attain women’s right to vote and to gain political power. I would like young people to know that the road to achieve the right to vote and for women to be elected into office was not easy and that as Eufrosina says, “no one will do it for us.”