Abstract
This chapter analyzes two Mexican youth road films, Por la libre (Juan Carlos de Llaca, 2001) and Viaje redondo (Gerardo Tort, 2009). Cosentino scrutinizes the expression and resultant suppression of incestuous and queer desire in these two films. She highlights the figurative (and paradoxical) stagnancy that characterizes the Mexican youth road film. Por la libre prioritizes the traditional nuclear family while Viaje redondo rejects queer desire as nothing more than a longing for heterosexuality. The Mexican youth road film masquerades as a progressive exploration of Mexican youth, but in reality it is conservative and heteronormative in nature. Both films as well as the blockbuster Y tu mamá también (Alfonso Cuarón, 2001), present endings that align with a traditional conceptualization of the social order.
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Filmography
Crossroads. 2002. Dir. Tamra Davis. Paramount Pictures, Zomba Films and MTV Films, DVD.
Ladies’ Night. 2003. Dir. Gabriela Tagliavini. Walt Disney Music Company, DVD.
Las horas contigo. 2015. Dir. Catalina Aguilar Mastretta. La Banda Films and Cuévano Films, DVD.
My Own Private Idaho. 1991. Dir. Gus Van Sant. New Line Cinema, DVD.
Por la libre. 2000. Dir. Juan Carlos de Llaca. Altavista Films, DVD.
Sin dejar huella. 2001. Dir. María Novaro. Altavista Films, DVD.
Tan de repente. 2002. Dir. Diego Lerman. Lita Stantic Producciones and Nylon Cine, DVD.
Thelma and Louise. 1991. Dir. Ridley Scott. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, DVD.
Viaje redondo. 2009. Dir. Gerardo Tort. Cadereyta Films, DVD.
Y tu mamá también. 2001. Dir. Alfonso Cuarón. Producciones Anhelo, DVD.
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Cosentino, O. (2016). Configuring Desire and Social Order in the Contemporary Mexican Youth Road Film. In: Garibotto, V., Pérez, J. (eds) The Latin American Road Movie. Global Cinema. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-58093-1_10
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