Pilotos
Animation Feature Film in Development
Inspired by the memories of José Luis Ríos Lara and his family. Based on the pilots’ testimonies.
1958, Since his mother died, Luis has dreamed of becoming a pilot. He lives with his father in an isolated town in the mountains of Chiapas, Mexico—a place where the only way in or out is by old, second-hand propeller planes.
After a fight at school, Luis runs away to an improvised airstrip set in front of a farm, where he secretly experiences his first flight. When his father finds out, the boy’s disobedience becomes the final excuse to leave the town for good.
Before their departure, Luis tries to escape once more, determined to uncover the truth about his mother’s death. What he discovers about her loss becomes both a collision and a reconciliation between father and son.
Development Support
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Support granted by the Mexican Film Institute (IMCINE) for the development of an animated feature film, advancing the project from story concept to screenplay.
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A federal recognition awarded by Mexico’s Ministry of Culture, providing support for the creation of new artistic work at an established professional level.
This project portrays a lesser-seen side of Mexico, set before the country’s modernization, when many regions relied on improvised solutions to survive. In a town with no roads, flying small second-hand planes was not a symbol of progress but a necessary and risky way of life. In places like Yajalón, Chiapas, becoming a pilot meant facing death—yet it was also one of the few ways to become someone.
"Pilotos” portrays a fragment of Mexico where the everyday life of a small town intersects with the extraordinary weight of its history, bridged by something deeply human: our relationship with our parents.
