El estudiante: the promise and pitfalls of Mexican inspirational cinema

El estudiante (The Student) is a 2009 Mexican film directed by Roberto Girault and written by Gastón Pavlovich. Both men perceived El estudiante as a new type of Mexican cinema which does not focus on the sordid side of Mexico, but presents instead inspirational films that showcase the beauty of the country. However, there seems to be a larger agenda behind this desire to showcase a beautiful Mexico, a country whose strong Catholic ideals seem to conflict with a modern lifestyle. The film, and the conversations surrounding it, showcase a desire to hearken back to the values and morals of so-called Old Mexico. Thus, it is imperative to focus on the distinct aspects that this proposal for a new Mexican cinema brings forth and on the audiovisual legacies it is hoping to transform.