For promoting the knowledge, awareness, and value of nature, the Miguel Alemán A.C. Foundation honored Cinema Planeta (which for nine years has organized, among other activities, Mexico’s environmental Film Festival and the International Film Festival) with the XXII Environment and Ecology “Miguel Alemán Valdés” award.  

During the ceremony, Miguel Alemán Velasco, president of the Foundation, considered this as one of the main example programs that aim to stimulate talent and contribute to the improvement of the environment in the world.

Considering that Mexico’s natural resources are one of the main tourist attractions of the country, Alemán Velasco recognized the work of Cinema Planeta A.C., for its commitment towards environmental education and literacy and for its creativity to effectively communicate messages on ecological and sustainability awareness.

“There is an imminent threat to the future of our planet. Ideas are free and no wall can restrain nor limit them, but (Donald) Trump, the president of the United States, puts the planet at risk by wanting to revitalize the coal mining industry in his country. The negative impact of this action will have irreversible repercussions on the environment (…). Cinema Planeta, please, send him a few short films”, said Velasco.

The event celebrated the restless work of Cinema Planeta’s founders: Gustava M. Ballesté and Eleonora Isunza de Pech, who share “a strong message in favor of reversing the damages caused by climate change”, added Alemán Velasco.

Representing Cinema Planeta, Gustavo M. Ballesté receives the Environment and Ecology “Miguel Alemán Valdés” Award from Miguel Alemán A.C. Foundation. Photo Credits: Juan Boites/El Universal 

Convinced that cinema, art, and science are the best combination to raise awareness of issues of collective interest, Cinema Planeta seeks to emphasize the conservation of Planet Earth.

In this regard, Ballesté mentioned that the initiative was born in 2009, captivating the interest of nine thousand people. “In 2012 we reached the twenty thousand spectators and in 2016 we registered seventy-four thousand attendees to the different activities that we carried out throughout the year, which means that there is interest in these issues.”

Cinema Planeta, which is part of the Green Film Network, a network of worldwide environmental festivals, organizes not only Mexico's International Film and Environment Festival, but it is also responsible for cine-debates and tours across the country’s twenty-five States”.  

According to the co-director of Cinema Planeta, its work does not only consist in exhibiting movies, but this year they took a chance and went the extra mile to produce its own film called “Nahui Ollin, Sol de movimiento” (premiered at FICG32 – Guadalajara International Film Festival – last March), which will be opening the ninth edition of the festival next May 2nd.

José Sarukan, President of the award committee, mentioned the importance and social value of this prize “We are aware of the importance of educating society to care for the environment. This is not a problem of biologists or geographers, or any other related profession, this is a problem concerning everyone”, he said.

“Miguel Alemán Valdés” Award was instituted in 1992, as a decision of the member of the foundation, to honor the memory of Miguel Alemán Valdés and to continue with his legacy of social commitment for Mexico.

Its main goal is to encourage the advance of knowledge towards respectfully treating the physical and biological environment of the country, by recognizing the scientific and technological work put into action for the conservation and the sustainable management of the country’s natural resources.

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