NEW YORK — Twelve Moons, the feature debut of Mexican director Victoria Franco, premieres Saturday in the International Narrative Competition at the Tribeca Festival. The film stars Ana de la Reguera and Ariel Award winner Enrique Arreola. It is produced by Franco’s brother, filmmaker Michel Franco, with international sales handled by The Match Factory.
The story follows Sofia, a 40-year-old architect in Mexico City, who faces personal tragedy and emotional turmoil as she struggles with infertility and her sense of identity. As her personal and professional lives unravel, she searches for meaning and strength within herself.
In an exclusive first-look clip, Sofia is seen drinking heavily—a sign of her growing dependence on alcohol and drugs. “Addiction, for her, is a way to cope with pressure,” says Franco. “I wanted to portray someone who doesn’t fit into society’s expectations, especially the pressures placed on women.”
Franco highlights the link between Sofia’s emotional state and her work as an architect. “She believes architecture can express emotion,” the director explains. “The spaces she visits and designs reflect her inner life.” The film features buildings by renowned architect Luis Barragán and a fountain by Isamu Noguchi.
Franco chose to shoot the film in black and white to focus the audience on emotion rather than color. “The cinematography is geometric and expressive,” she says. “We didn’t have a strict plan—we improvised to stay in the moment.” Director of photography Sergio Armstrong G. helped create a visual style that mirrors Sofia’s state of mind.
Influenced by Italian Neorealism and film noir, Twelve Moons uses light, shadow, and minimal lighting to enhance realism. Like her brother Michel, Franco filmed in chronological order and allowed for frequent improvisation.
Franco praised de la Reguera’s performance. “Ana brought deep understanding to the role. It felt like she had lived with this character for years,” she said.
Up next, Franco is working on a new film about a teenager in New York. She is currently writing the screenplay.
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