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Guillermo del Toro Awarded the UNAM Film Archive Medal During the 24th FICM

Katia Barragán

At the 24th Morelia International Film Festival (FICM), Guillermo del Toro received the UNAM Film Archive Medal during a press conference ahead of the screening commemorating the 20th anniversary of Pan’s Labyrinth (2006). The event reunited the filmmaker with members of the film’s production team, who reflected on its creation, its enduring relevance, and cinema's role in contemporary society.

Jorge Martínez Micher, deputy director of outreach at the UNAM Film Archive, presented del Toro with the medal, emphasizing his work preserving and restoring Mexico’s cinematic heritage.

As he accepted the award, the director spoke about the challenges that film preservation faces, particularly the loss of materials and the difficulties in tracing film rights. In this regard, he expressed his gratitude for the efforts to preserve cinematic memory and stated, “What makes it possible for us to have a past also makes it possible for us to have a future.”

The conference, moderated by film critic Alonso Díaz de la Vega, featured del Toro alongside Bertha Navarro, the film’s producer; Guillermo Navarro, director of photography; Ivana Baquero, the actress who played Ofelia; and Daniela Michel, founder and director of FICM.

Recalling the creative process behind Pan’s Labyrinth, del Toro highlighted the trust and loyalty among his team members as fundamental elements for making a film. When asked whether he believes films are best made among friends, he replied, “Yes. It’s made with friends, with loyalty, with hard work. That’s how it’s done in Mexico.”

Meanwhile, Bertha Navarro recalled the impact of working with the filmmaker and noted that his films explore how human beings can become what they identify as monstrous. Guillermo Navarro stressed the importance of cinematic language as a means of storytelling and conveying emotions, while Baquero acknowledged that Pan’s Labyrinth marked a turning point in her personal and professional career.

These reflections on the film’s relevance guided the conversation toward the resurgence of hate speech, social polarization, and the role of art in the face of these phenomena.

Guillermo del Toro cautioned the audience about the mechanisms that foster division and antagonism, including those operating through social media. In light of this, he championed the importance of compassion, critical thinking, and artistic creation as forms of resistance.

“Hate is the poison you take to see if the other person dies,” the director said as he reflected on prejudice and the challenge in fighting it.

The filmmaker also spoke about our responsibility to create spaces where new generations can develop creative curiosity. Reflecting on the world they are inheriting, he expressed concern about social and moral decline and made a call to acknowledge the mistakes of previous generations.

When discussing how his films reflect his own concerns, del Toro explained that he strives to incorporate issues that trouble and affect him into each work while he is creating it. For him, expressing the different facets of the human condition is an essential part of artistic work.

The importance of craftsmanship in cinema was also discussed. Del Toro defended the value of handmade objects as testaments to human creativity and experience, and emphasized their ability to convey emotions to the audience.

Looking back on the production of Pan’s Labyrinth, Guillermo Navarro recalled that the film was shot on 35-millimeter film and highlighted the hands-on work involved in its production.

In the conversation, the importance of film festivals as spaces for cultural exchange and dialogue was also discussed. Del Toro noted that, while these events may have shortcomings, we must acknowledge how much society would lose if we didn't have them.

With the 20th anniversary of Pan’s Labyrinth as a backdrop, the event provided an opportunity to reflect on the film’s enduring legacy, the value of preserving cinematic memory, and the importance of dialogue between generations.