El Neceser Rojo

A red vanity case holds an unadorned story of a mother’s life. The daughter, ever the observer, watches as it fills with secrets, losses, and finally, ashes. This is the inheritance of migration, revealing the quiet tension between independence and abandonment, told with clinical precision.

Shortlisted for the 97th Academy Awards for Best Documentary Short Film. Winner of best short documentary at the Guanajuato International Film Festival in Mexico.

  • Serge Garcia
    Director
  • Azalea Aguilar
    Writer
  • Serge Garcia
    Producer
  • Azalea Aguilar
    Key Cast
    "Narrator "
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Experimental, Short
  • Genres:
    Drama
  • Runtime:
    15 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    January 2, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    900 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Mexico
  • Country of Filming:
    Mexico
  • Language:
    Spanish
  • Shooting Format:
    16mm
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1:85
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • International Film Festival Rotterdam
    Rotterdam
    Netherlands
    January 25, 2024
    World Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Guanajuato International Film Festival
    Guanajuato
    Mexico
    July 20, 2024
    Mexican Premiere
    WINNER: BEST MEXICAN SHORT DOCUMENTARY FILM
  • Doxa Documentary Film Festival
    Vancouver
    Canada
    May 12, 2024
    North American Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Black Canvas Contemporary Film Festival
    Mexico CIty
    Mexico
    October 21, 2024
    Mexico City Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Doclisboa
    Lisbon
    Portugal
    October 20, 2024
    Portugues Premiere
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Serge Garcia

Serge is a filmmaker from Los Angeles, CA of Mexican and Guatemalan descent. His contemplative short films have gained international recognition. In 2024 he was awarded the Joaquim Jorda residency in Madrid by the Museo Reina Sofia, FID Marseille, & Doclisboa to develop his first feature film which will be set in Mexico City. When he is not working on visual projects, he makes house music records. He lives in Berlin.

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Director Statement

This film project is a collaboration with my mother, Azalea Aguilar. We adapted it from a short story she wrote in early 2023, which shares the same title as our film. Our mother-son partnership influences the intimate, small-scale nature of our production process and workflow. The film's introspective pacing and atmospheric cinematography reflect my interest in cinematic form and family melodrama, particularly focusing on the struggles of overworked women facing adversity. By financing and producing the project ourselves, we maintain creative control and stay true to our vision.