Private Project

Itu Ninu

In the not-so-distant future of 2084, Ángel, a climate migrant in an unspecified smart city under constant surveillance, makes a living by cultivating plants, preserving the fading wisdom of seeds.

Within this desolate landscape he crosses paths with Sofia, another climate migrant who works at a recycling facility. Fate intertwines their lives when a chance encounter reveals an unexpected connection: a shared language.

Fueling Ángel's longing for human connection and a glimmer of hope, he reaches out to Sofia. Aware of the omnipresent digital monitoring, Ángel decides to communicate with her through the timeless medium of pen and paper, fostering an intimate, clandestine bond.

As their secret correspondence unfolds, a friendship grows between Ángel and Sofia as does their desire for liberation from excessive control.

  • Itandehui Jansen
    Director
    Tiempo de Lluvia, Signs and Gestures, Time & The Seashell
  • Armando Bautista García
    Writer
    Tiempo de Lluvia, El Último Consejo
  • Armando Bautista García
    Producer
    Tiempo de Lluvia, El Último Consejo
  • Alejandra Herrera
    Key Cast
    "Sofía"
    Roma, Tiempo de Lluvia, Kokoloko
  • Enrica Sciandrone
    Music Composer
    Tiempo de Lluvia, American Fango
  • Stephen C. Horne
    Colour Grading
    Hong Kong: City on Fire, Hermit of Treig, Stockholm My Love
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Feature
  • Genres:
    Sci-Fi, Romance, Drama, Indigenous
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 15 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    July 1, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    12,500 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    Mexico
  • Language:
    Other
  • Shooting Format:
    2K Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.39:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Festival Internacional de Morelia (Morelia International Film Fest)
    Morelia
    Mexico
    October 20, 2023
    Mexican Premiere
    Official Selection Mexican Feature Drama
  • Festival in Our Own Words (Własnymi słowami festiwal filmowy)
    Warsaw
    Poland
    September 9, 2023
    World Premiere
  • IndiFest
    Barcelona
    Spain
    Spanish Premiere
    Official Selection
  • FicWallmapu Film Festival
    Temuco
    Chile
    November 14, 2023
    Chilean Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Mannheim Arts & Film Festival - Award July 2023
    Mannheim
    Germany
    (Closed Jury session and not an actual screening)
    Award for Best Environmental and Climate Feature July 2023
  • San Diego Latino Film Festival
    San Diego
    United States
    March 18, 2024
    US Premiere
    Emerging Voices Showcase
  • Houston Latino Film Festival
    Houston
    United States
    March 23, 2024
    Competition
  • Curacao International Film Festival Rotterdam
    Willemstad
    Curaçao
    April 13, 2024
  • Dreamspeakers Film Festival
    Edmonton
    Canada
    April 26, 2024
    Canadian Premiere
  • Arizona International Film Festival
    Tucson, Arizona
    United States
    April 20, 2024
    Arizona Premiere
    Winner of the Festival Grand Prize
  • Cine las Americas Film Festival
    Austin, Texas
    United States
    May 19, 2024
    Competition
  • Philadelphia Latino Arts & Film Festival
    Philadelphia
    United States
    Official Selection
  • FICA - International Environmental Film Festival
    Goias
    Brazil
    June 12, 2024
    Brazilian Premiere
    Feature Films
  • Ischia Film Festival
    Ischia
    Italy
    July 4, 2024
    Italian Premiere
    Location Negata
Distribution Information
  • Benuca Films
    Distributor
    Country: Mexico
    Rights: Theatrical
Director Biography - Itandehui Jansen

Itandehui Jansen was born in Oaxaca, Mexico and studied film directing at the Netherlands Film Academy in Amsterdam. She participated in different international training programs, such as the BERLINALE TALENTS, The BINGER FILM LAB, and the TORINO FILM LAB.

Her films have screened at international festivals such as the IDFA (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam), FICM (Morelia International Film Festival), Washington D.C. Shorts, ZINEBI, the London Short Film Festival, and SLAMDANCE.

She received several international awards for her work. Her feature drama film In Times of Rain won the Award for Best Emerging Feature Film at the Oaxaca Film Fest. Itu Ninu received the Award for Best Feature at the Cine Las Americas International Film Festival, the Award for Best Sci-Fi Feature at the Galactic Imaginarium Film Festival in Tirana, and the Festival Grand Prize at the Arizona International Film Festival, among others. At present she is Associate Professor of Film at Screen Academy Scotland.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

At the heart of this story lies the profound sense of loneliness and isolation experienced by a migrant who finds himself without anyone to share his native language with. Through the intimate medium of letters, the main characters develop a connection as they reflect on the circumstances that forced them to leave their communities, devastated by relentless droughts. Their correspondence is expressed through voice-overs in Mixtec (an Indigenous language from Mexico).

Climate change and environmental crisis are central elements of the narrative. Thus, we always considered sustainability as essential to our film making approach. We therefore worked with existing locations, props, and wardrobe, and "gleaned" images to shape the story, avoiding the construction of sets, the purchase of props or wardrobe or the use of energy for lights. We opted for a minimal crew, limiting travel and walking to locations.

Throughout the production, we monitored our carbon footprint, employing the ALBERT carbon calculator tools. The final overall carbon footprint of this production is less than one tonne of CO2, a remarkable achievement when compared to both mainstream and even low-budget independent productions.

Through this film, we want to initiate conversations about the interconnections between climate change, surveillance, migration, and the possible consequences for Indigenous livelihoods, languages, and cultural heritage.