Mijo

A young man's dream of becoming wealthy might have come true after he obtains an extraordinary power.

A man (Rocha) is walking towards his car, wearing colourful clothing and cowboy boots and carrying a large, childlike bear mask. He then drives to another location, where he puts on the mask and dances while handing out flyers. After imagining that he is rich, he spots a building and enters. Inside, after trying his luck on a machine, he seems to have miraculously acquired a magical ability that makes anything he touches turn into a glamorous version of itself.

Shot in Mexico City, this short film is partially a modern version of the story of King Midas. Once the protagonist is in possession of the supernatural power, he touches a dog and his car among other things and they become luxurious, just the way he wants it. But is there a negative side to all this?

Overall, the atmosphere is light and comedic. Rocha is entertaining to watch, especially during a dream scene, where he is seen dancing and holding a large amount of cash and when he starts using his new special power.

Visually, the film is rather pleasing to the eye and contains interesting mise-en-scene. Characters wear stylized clothing with vivid colours and the environment includes uplifting decorations. The hair and makeup also looks great. Regarding the audio, there is traditional Mexican music and the audience are treated to a wonderful song.

Apart from the song lyrics, there are no spoken words, leaving viewers to rely primarily on Rocha's performance and he does an amusing job and the same goes for the supporting characters.

Alberto Casuso delivers beautiful cinematography and sound designer Steve Brooks does a great job with the sound effects. Acknowledgement also goes to the animation during the closing credits.

This is a project that was made with the collaboration with Mexican artists and designers, with the intention of reflecting today's Mexico and was inspired by the pachuco style from the forties. It is the clothing and music that stand out mostly and when they are combined with the narrative and performances, they create an enjoyable experience.