With activities resumed at the Autonomous University of Ciudad Juárez (UACJ), it is time to enjoy good cinema in the Arturo Ripstein room, located in the Cultural Center of the Borders of the Pronaf Zone.
One of the first proposals made by Cine Universitario is the screening of the documentary ‘42.195’ by director Alejandro Strauss, who provides one of the few materials that exist about marathons, and more specifically about the act of running.
Titled ‘42.195’, as that is the official distance – in kilometres – of the marathon race, the documentary presents four women who undergo the test, each with their very different motivations.
The documentary, which was only released last March, is coming to the border to be shown in three screenings, scheduled for August 10 and 14, and one more on September 7, all at 6 p.m.
Winged trot
The determination with which competitors cover the more than 42 kilometres of a marathon is undoubtedly admirable. But if we add to this the fact that the circumstances of the preparation and even the motivations are different, it is even more so.
Four women appear in ‘42.195’: Rebby, from Kenya; Natacha, from Spain; Marcela, from Mexico City; and Verónica, a Rarámuli who lives in this town.
Unlike Rebby, who is an elite athlete, Marcela is captured during her first marathon for this documentary. Natacha and Veronica, on the other hand, have a different kind of drive that makes them train almost daily and test themselves over all those kilometers.
“(Running) is a kind of religion. It has this significant quality of transformation and heroism. Everyone runs towards the finish line, but each one has his or her own goal in mind. Some run in memory of deceased loved ones, others to celebrate their recovery from cancer. The marathon involves facing the seemingly impossible. It requires months of preparation, overcoming injuries along the way, facing fears and obstacles to get to the starting point – a monumental effort. It has a heroic dimension, and those who complete it have truly dedicated a monumental effort to their preparation,” said Alejandro Strauss.
“Verónica is an interesting character. She is a Rarámuri runner living in Ciudad Juárez, a very complex border city that has nothing to do with Verónica’s context in the mountains, and for her that is a matter of adaptation,” said the director.
At the end of each performance, marathon runner Verónica Palma will share with the public the experiences – good and bad – that she has had during her time as a runner, such as having won gold at the World Masters Games for Indigenous Peoples in Ottawa, Canada, or the disadvantage that indigenous runners have in the Juárez Marathon, which forces them to run in sandals, a restriction that has already been pointed out by the runner in search of its elimination.
Screening of the documentary ‘42.195’
August 10 and 14, and September 7
Performances at 6:00 pm
Arturo Ripstein Cinema Hall
Cultural Center of the Borders
Pronaf Zone
Free entrance
#reasons
