El callejón de los milagros (1995)

Director:

Jorge Fons

Writers:

Vicente Leñero (screenplay)
Naguib Mahfouz (novel)

Release Date:

6 March 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

THE MOST AWARDED FILM IN MEXICAN HISTORY (49 International Awards)

Plot:

Based on the Nobel Prize Winner's novel, the Egyptian Naguib Mahfouz. The story, translated from El Cairo to Mexico City's downtown...

Plot Keywords:

Mexican | Brothel | Beautiful Woman | Pimp | Coming Out

Awards:

27 wins & 14 nominations

Cast

Ernesto Gómez Cruz	...	Don Ru
María Rojo	...	Doña Cata
Salma Hayek	...	Alma
Bruno Bichir	...	Abel
Delia Casanova	...	Eusebia
Margarita Sanz	...	Susanita
Claudio Obregón	...	Don Fidel
Juan Manuel Bernal	...	Chava
Abel Woolrich	...	Zacarías
Luis Felipe Tovar	...	Güicho
Daniel Giménez Cacho	...	José Luis
Gina Morett	...	Doña Flor
Óscar Yoldi	...	Ubaldo
Esteban Soberanes	...	Jimmy
Eugenia Leñero	...	Tina

Also Known As:

Midaq Alley
Miracle Alley (Australia)

Runtime:

140 min

Country:

Mexico

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M | Argentina:16 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-12 | Spain:13

Filming Locations:

Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico

Company:

Alameda Films

Movie Connections:

Remake of Zouqâq al-Midaqq (1963)

Soundtrack:

La bicicleta

Connected lives

Naguib Mahfouz, the Egyptian novelist, whose "Midaq Alley" serves as the basis of this film, wrote about the characters that populate that narrow strip of an Egyptian city, and how in some ways, all of their lives are so inter-connected to one another.

Director Jorge Fons and the adapter, Vicente Lenero, transferred the action to Mexico City. They used the same format that Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu later used for his successful "Amores Perros" in 2000. It would be unfair to compare both films, yet, one can see certain parallels in the way the films unfold. Each narrative shows exact moments in which the lives of the people that part of town prove pivotal for the stories presented in the film.

There are four stories in the film. Each deals with what happened to that particular character while all have points in which they connect with the others. The film shows that when Mexican filmmakers want to tell interesting human stories, such as the ones depicted in the film, they don't have a thing to envy to the best types of cinema of the world. This is clearly a movie that will survive because of its universal themes.

Salma Hayek was making her second appearance in front of the cameras. She proved why she was an actress to be reckoned with. Her Alma shows a vulnerability, and freshness as she approaches the character. Ernesto Gomez Cruz, Maria Rojo, Bruno Bichir, Daniel Gimenez Cacho, Luis Felipe Tovar and the rest of the cast do excellent ensemble work under Mr. Fons direction.

The film will not disappoint the viewer.