Experiencing Interruptions?

A Crime

Matilde is a young indigenous who must take care of her patrons baby. Nevertheless, the kid cries day and night and Matilde, after dark dreams, painful memories and contemptuous abuse, will decide what to do in order to finish with her suffering.

  • Mauricio Borrego
    Director
    Sugar Candy 3D, Queridos maestros, La lucha es nuestra, Un Crimen, DXU´
  • Mauricio Borrego
    Writer
  • Mauricio Borrego
    Producer
  • Ramón Llaven
    Producer
  • Gabriel Martínez
    Producer
  • Patricia Quinto
    Key Cast
    Con una nota
  • Mai Elissalt
    Key Cast
    Hijo mío, Déjame besarte Baby Blue
  • Antonio Monroi
    Key Cast
    Apocalypto, El bibliotecario, Rito terminal
  • Xésar Tena
    Key Cast
    Solo al principio, Cadáver exquisito, Saint Jude
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Un Crimen
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    11 minutes 54 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 22, 2016
  • Production Budget:
    40,000 MXN
  • Country of Origin:
    Mexico
  • Country of Filming:
    Mexico
  • Language:
    Spanish
  • Shooting Format:
    Full HD
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Black & White
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes
Director Biography - Mauricio Borrego

Mauricio Borrego (Veracruz, 1990). In 2010 begins his filmmaking studies at AMCI, where he was editor of the first 3D short film in Latin America: “Sugar Candy”. He has collaborated for Canal Seis de Julio and in 2016 he made the short film: “A Crime”, accepted in various national and international festivals. In 2017 he was the director of photography for the thesis short film “DXU´”. He worked as editor for DIF Huixquilucan and has been a producer of political campaigns.

Filmography: Sugar Candy (2011), Un Crimen (2016), DXU´ (2017)

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Director Statement

The shortfilm “A Crime” is an adaptation from Anton Chekov´s short tale written at the end of the XIX century. The plot develops in Mexico mid-1890´s during Porfirio Díaz period.

The main subject is about Matilde´s impossibility to sleep because the baby she cares is always crying. Other subjects are about the aristocrat french tendencies at that period of time, the broken families, the injustice to marginalized social classes, the contrast between rich and poor people, the lack of hope, the dreams as an escape, the religion, the domestic violence, the forbidden sexuality, the illness and finally the death.

My cinematic vision seeks to capture, through still shots, the perspective of the terrible and static life of the protagonist who at first appears as a victim of the circumstances in which she lives. In the end, the hand-shots and camera movements show the evolution of the character becoming the victimizer of her own destiny.

Black and white photography, along with vals music and the Baroque scenery, are direct influences from the mexican cinema subgenre called “Cine de añoranza porfiriana” in order to represent the historical period. The high contrast, taken from German Expressionism, helps to stylize the psychological and social differences between the characters. The lights and shadows create various atmospheres to project a grim reality.

Inside the soundtrack, the Devil´s Thrill melody accompanies Matilde to her tragic denouement. There are also other chords that serve as leitmotivs. These resources try to generate suspense to the audience.

Other visual symbols as the rosary, the crucifix, a picture of Porfirio Diaz, paintings, costumes, the candles, distorted trees , the horse , the bells , the three naked women and the mud; are symbolic and epistemic information that give a precise meaning to the universe projected in “A Crime”.