Ariel-nominated director Aria Covamonas died before seeing her film's nomination

The upcoming Ariel Awards, Mexico's prestigious film honors, will carry a somber note with the posthumous nomination of Aria Covamonas for her animated feature, "The Great History of Western Philosophy." Covamonas, who passed away last year at the age of 46 in Oaxaca, will not be present to witness her film's recognition.

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She animated three seconds a day because she was very meticulous, so it took her a few years to make the film.

Covamonas, who described herself as a photomontage artist and animator, dedicated years to the meticulous creation of the film, animating only a few seconds per day. The movie, which had its premiere at the Guadalajara International Film Festival last year, is slated for a theatrical release in 2027. Its synopsis describes an cosmic animator tasked by Chairman Mao to create a philosophical film, only to be condemned to death by the very leader who commissioned it.

Lola Díaz-González, involved in the film's distribution, shared that Covamonas studied visual arts at the Autonomous University of Nuevo León and was self-taught in animation. "She animated three seconds a day because she was very meticulous, so it took her a few years to make the film," Díaz-González recounted.

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The film premiered at the Guadalajara Film Festival, she was going to go and in the end she didn't, then she passed away. The film has also gone to festivals like Mórbido, it's sad that she is no longer here to enjoy all of this (the nomination) and what's to come.

The film has also screened at festivals like Mórbido. Díaz-González expressed sadness that Covamonas is not alive to enjoy the nomination and the film's future screenings. "The Great History of Western Philosophy" will be distributed by Fedora Productions, the film's own production company, with support from Focine. A special premiere is planned for March 31, 2027, in Oaxaca, coinciding with Trans Visibility Day, a date chosen to highlight the importance of cinema made by transgender individuals. Following its theatrical run, the film is intended to enter the public domain, as per Covamonas' wishes.

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The 31st because it is Trans Visibility Day, so that day seems important to us and it is also to communicate that cinema made by trans people matters, that it exists and that it should be seen.