Museo

Museum
Perennial students Juan and Wilson are planning a daring coup. They intend to break into the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City and steal precious Mayan, Mixtec and Zapotec artefacts, in particular the funerary mask of King Pakal. While their families celebrate Christmas they get down to business, just like a couple of seasoned criminals. Everything goes off without a hitch and, with their sports bags stuffed full of treasures, they return home to see on the news how their deed is described as an attack on the entire nation. Only now do they realise the gravity of their actions. Feeling more than a little queasy, they set about fencing their haul. The ensuing road movie takes us from the impressive Mayan ruins of Palenque to the chic seaside resort of Acapulco. Even when Juan and Wilson are behind the wheel, their endeavour has long since gone off the rails. Revisiting the true events of 1985 when it was initially thought that professionals had pulled off the heist, the film is as surprising as the original case. Like its heroes, it too has a crafty way of getting down to the nitty-gritty, reinventing itself with every twist, and nodding to several film genres along the way.
by Alonso Ruizpalacios
with Gael García Bernal, Leonardo Ortizgris, Alfredo Castro, Simon Russell Beale, Bernardo Velasco, Leticia Brédice, Ilse Salas, Lisa Owen
Mexico 2018 Spanish, English 128’ Colour World premiere

With

  • Gael García Bernal (Juan Nuñez)
  • Leonardo Ortizgris (Benjamin Wilson)
  • Alfredo Castro (Dr. Nuñez)
  • Simon Russell Beale (Frank Graves)
  • Bernardo Velasco (Bosco)
  • Leticia Brédice (Sherezada)
  • Ilse Salas (Silvia)
  • Lisa Owen (Sra. Nuñez)

Crew

Director Alonso Ruizpalacios
Screenplay Manuel Alcalá, Alonso Ruizpalacios
Cinematography Damian Garcia
Editing Yibran Asuad
Music Tomas Barreiro
Sound Design Javier Umpierrez
Sound Isabel Muñoz Cota
Production Design Sandra Cabriada
Costumes Malena De La Riva
Make-Up Iñaki Legaspi
Assistant Director Pablo Giles
Casting Bernardo Velasco
Production Manager Mariana Rodriguez
Producers Gerardo Gatica, Alberto Müffelmann, Ramiro Ruiz, Manuel Alcalá
Executive Producers Moisés Cosío, Gael García Bernal, Anant Singh, Brian Cox, Robert Lantos

Produced by

Panorama Global

Ring Cine

Alonso Ruizpalacios

The Mexican writer, film and theatre director studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. His debut feature, Güeros, had its world premiere in Panorama and went on to win over 40 prizes at international festivals including the Best First Feature Award at the 2014 Berlinale and Mexican Premio Ariel awards in five different categories. His second feature, Museum, won the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay at the 2018 Berlinale and awards for Best Director at the Athens and Morelia film festivals. His third, A Cop Movie, screened in the Berlinale Competition and won a Golden Ariel for Best Documentary.

Filmography (selection)

2005 Fonda Susilla; series 2008 Café Paraíso (Paradise Coffee); short film 2009 Expedición 1808 (Expedition 1808); series 2010 El último canto del pájaro Cú (The Last Song of the Cu Bird); short film 2014 Güeros (Gueros) 2016 Verde (Green); short film 2018 Museo (Museum) · Aquí en la tierra (Here on Earth); series, 2 episodes · Vida (Life); series, 1 episode · Narcos: México (Narcos: Mexico); series, 2 episodes 2021 Una película de policías (A Cop Movie) 2022 Outer Range; series, 2 episodes 2024 La Cocina

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2024