Michel Franco

Michel Franco is an award-winning filmmaker born in 1979 in Mexico City, whose work as a writer, director, and producer has contributed to bringing Mexican cinema to the global spotlight. His latest feature, DREAMS, premiered at the Berlinale in 2025 and stars Oscar-winner Jessica Chastain, Isaac Hernández and Rupert Friend. His other films include MEMORY, starring Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard, who won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at Venice in 2023; SUNDOWN, with Tim Roth and Charlotte Gainsbourg (In Competition, Venice 2021); NEW ORDER (Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize, Venice 2020); APRIL’S DAUGHTER (Special Jury Prize, Un Certain Regard, Cannes 2017); CHRONIC, starring Tim Roth (Best Screenplay, Cannes 2015); and AFER LUCIA (Un Certain Regard Prize, Cannes 2012). Through his producion company Teorema, he has produced Lorenzo Vigas’ DESDE ALLÁ (Golden Lion, Venice 2015), and David Zonana’s first two features MANO DE OBRA (Toronto 2019) and HEROIC (Sundance 2023).