Set against the backdrop of Cuba, this Mexican melodrama stars Miroslava as an upper-class woman drawn into a passionate and forbidden affair with Carlos, a rugged former factory worker whose newfound wealth cannot erase the stigma of his working-class origins. This rarely seen gem from Mexico’s Golden Age confronts the patriarchal structures of its time, daring to challenge sexual conventions, openly portraying female desire, and positioning women as active agents rather than passive figures within its blazing narrative.

¡Too Much Mexican Melodrama!

A touring showcase of four visually sumptuous, emotionally charged films from Mexico’s Golden Age (1930s–1950s), curated through a feminist lens. This programme highlights melodrama’s heightened aesthetics and unruly passions as a radical space for female creativity and expression—both on screen and behind the camera.

Often called “women’s pictures” for their emotional intensity, complex heroines, and devoted female audiences, melodramas also provided groundbreaking opportunities for women filmmakers. From the magnetic performances of Miroslava and Ninón Sevilla, to the innovative editing of Gloria Schoemann, and the pioneering direction of Adela Sequeyro and Matilde Landeta, these films illuminate women’s artistry during a period when Mexican cinema was at its peak.

¡Too Much Mexican Melodrama! reframes the genre as a subversive feminist arena of passion and defiance, showcasing its power to provoke, seduce, and overwhelm.

Curated by Invisible Women. Presented with the support of BFI FAN, awarding funds from The National Lottery.