This beautifully shot film takes place in a sultry southern Mexico coastal town, where muxe – Zapotec culture’s loosely defined third gender – are fully accepted within rural indigenous communities. When Mabel returns to her hometown to investigate the murder of a friend, cross-dressing, homosexual tolerance and an unusual criminal investigation are interwoven with nostalgia, love, disappearance and death. Winner of Best Screenplay at the 2015 Ariel awards – the Mexican equivalent of the Oscars – this is an expertly crafted drama with a deliciously languid pace reflecting the hot summer atmosphere, but slowly building towards a tense climax.
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