Concepción
"Concepción" tells the story of Conchita Cabrera, a woman who lived through Mexico's most turbulent times. From childhood, she felt the great longing that every human being holds: the longing for God, which propelled her to a life of love and sacrifice for others, from forming a family to founding great apostolic works aimed at transforming the Church. Her story deeply marks this country with a cross ignited by love, dedicated to the salvation of men. Her life is a torch destined to ignite hearts in the 21st century.
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Alejandro FrancesDirector
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Alejandro FrancesWriter
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Juan Pablo Fajer NavarroProducer
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Martha Guadalupe Navarro LopezProducer
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Alejandro FrancesProducer
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Martha Janell Fajer NavarroKey Cast"Concepción"
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Antonio MauriKey Cast"Fransisco Armida"
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Project Type:Documentary
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Genres:Biography, Drama, Documentary
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Runtime:2 hours 20 minutes
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Completion Date:August 15, 2024
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Production Budget:16,000,000 MXN
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Country of Origin:Mexico
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Country of Filming:Mexico
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Language:Spanish
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Shooting Format:Sony XVAC 23.98 4096x2160p
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Aspect Ratio:2.35 :1
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
Distribution Information
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CNMGDistributorCountry: MexicoRights: Theatrical
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CROSS ENTERTAINMENTDistributorCountry: WorldwideRights: All Rights
Alejandro, born in Guadalajara, Mexico, in 1982, has made significant contributions to the film industry after graduating with honors in Architecture. His passion for visual arts led him to specialize in Cinematography and co-found AVE Films and Kum Cinema. With over a decade of experience in audiovisual production, he has collaborated with various companies and artists across Mexico and the United States. Alejandro is also dedicated to education, serving as a teacher and lecturer in film and art. He has received accolades such as First Place in the "Recycle your Scene" award at the Festival Internacional de Cine en Guadalajara (FICG) and has been a jury member at the FIC Tercer Milenio.
His directorial work includes the documentary series “Ya no somos 2” and the docu-fiction project “Luz & Sal” for Famflix. He wrote and directed “Concepción: la película,” which performed well in Mexican theaters. Currently, Alejandro is developing two fiction films and a science-fiction series. His artistic vision emphasizes cinema's potential to transform individuals and social structures, advocating for art as a means to convey hope and beauty while exploring themes of faith.
Bringing the life of Concepción Cabrera de Armida to the big screen has meant an unprecedented challenge.
I say this because of the scale of cinematographic production that it has meant: more than 120 scenes shot in Guadalajara, Monterrey and San Luis Potosí: fields, farms, streets, temples, plazas and other historical buildings, all with a work team of hundreds of people highly specialized in areas such as photography, costume design, makeup, production design and art, as well as the composition of original music, special effects, computer generated images, editing and sound design.
I also say this because of the enormous narrative challenge of faithfully and attractively telling the story of this great woman, author of more than 65,000 pages, future doctor of the Church, in just a couple of hours.
However, I know that it is also about something very simple, from the heart: it is about introducing the audience to a person. Anyone who meets Conchita cannot remain indifferent: one falls in love with her. She has an overwhelming spiritual wealth that I believe is the time to help bring to the world.
The film develops a narrative system that serves a double purpose: to develop the most important events in Concepción's life with an epic, classic, character-driven staging; and at the same time, to develop themes of spiritual depth and theology through interviews and testimonies. In post-production, we meticulously wove these two narrative lines together to articulate a series of 24 sequences, 24 meditations that consistently develop a discourse. Through editing and music, we sought to "elevate" the viewer's experience of themes of spiritual life, which are often considered boring or slow, and produce an experience of emotional and intellectual depth that leaves great traces in people's souls. The result is a very baroque, baroque and Mexican film, made up of a saturation of messages, narrative resources, art, all arranged with great intensity and beauty, and which do not let the viewer's perception rest.
This is undoubtedly the greatest professional challenge, perhaps also personally, that I have faced, and it is clear to me that faithfully telling the life of this woman has greatly involved my own life, the lives of the producers and of all those who have made this work possible, for which I am deeply grateful.