Since today is Cinco de Mayo, I decided to do something a little different than a regular review and shine a light on some films by Mexican filmmakers. Use this list as a starting point for the mentioned directors’ other work.

And while not every film on this list is in Spanish (one is a Hollywood film made by a Mexican filmmaker), seeing them may make you feel inspired to brush up on that high school Spanish skill you’ve been neglecting. It’ll also give you a new perspective on filmmaking and life in general, as all good international films do.

“Y Mama Tu También” (2001) — I’ve written about this once before, but it’s so good it warrants a second mention. First off, it is definitely not for the prudish as it contains some pretty explicit sex scenes. If you can get past that, and I hope you can, the beautiful coming-of-age film that unfolds is something really special. It follows a summer in the lives of hormonal 17-year-olds Julio and Tenoch (Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna) as they take a road trip with an older woman, Luisa (Maribel Verdu), who is going through her own brand of difficulties. Along the way to a secret beach, the three discover each other and themselves in ways they hadn’t before. Directed by Alfonso Cuaron who co-wrote it with his brother, Carlos, the film went on to be one of the biggest hits in Mexican cinema and was nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the 2002 Oscars. Stream it with a FlixLatio subscription or rent it on your preferred service.

“Roma” (2018) — The first of the Netflix original movies to receive a Best Picture nod at the 2019 Academy Awards, it also netted Alfonso Cuaron a statue for his directing (it picked up statues for Best International Film and cinematography too). Shot in stunning black and white, “Roma” focuses on an Indigenous housekeeper in 1970 Mexico City and the upper-middle-class family for whom she works. It features both Spanish and Mixtec and highlights socio-economic disparity of the day while feeling very rooted in the human story at hand. Stream it on Netflix.

“Ya No Estoy Aqui (I’m No Longer Here)” (2019) — Set in both the U.S. and Mexico, this drama by writer/director Fernando Frias garnered a lot of buzz and is told with heaping doses of music. Frias weaves a non-linear story of a 17-year-old Monterrey teen named Ulises (Juan Daniel Garcia Treviño) who leads a gang called Los Trekos who follow the Kolombia counter-culture movement, wearing bright baggy clothes and dancing to slowed-down Cumbia music. When he angers members of a more violent gang and is mistaken for one of them following a shooting, Ulises is smuggled across the border and ends up in New York trying to build a life for himself. But with a big language barrier and cultural differences, life is hard. For a first-time film director, Frias shows massive potential with this debut feature film. (Most recently, he directed episodes of “Los Espookys” and “Our Flag Means Death”). Stream it on Netflix.

“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” (2014) — This has nothing to do with Mexico, but it is incredibly indicative of Mexican director Alejandro G. Iñarritu’s methodical work. His stunning use of absurdism, metatheatrics and dream-like storytelling mesh beautifully in an all-around meticulously executed film that earned him (and the cinematography and film as a whole) an Oscar for his efforts in both directing and writing. The film sees an actor (Michael Keaton) famous for playing a winged superhero ready for his debut Broadway show (which he’s starring in, writing and directing). But the stress starts to get to him, and he’s haunted by the Birdman and what his life has become. The brilliance of the style showcased in “Birdman” is worth the two-hour runtime. Rent it on your preferred service.

“Cinco dias sin Nora (Nora’s Will)” (2008) — Set amongst Mexico City’s Jewish community, this comedy directed and written by Mariana Chenillo brings a man named José to take care of the funeral of his ex-wife, Nora (Silvia Mariscal) after she commits suicide. Turns out she concocted this plan, forcing him to gather the family around and plan for a Jewish service during Passover knowing that he was an atheist. You have to appreciate dark humor to really go for this bitingly funny film. It went on to win an Ariel for Best Picture (top prize for the Mexican awards recognizing excellence in film), making Chenillo the first female filmmaker to have directed a film to receive the honor. Stream it on Kanopy (with your Deschutes Public Library card) or on Tubi.

Honorable mention: “The Salt of the Earth” (1954) — No, this was not directed or written by a Mexican filmmaker. However, given the era of its release, and its subject matter focusing on unfair and racist working conditions for Mexican-American zinc miners — who eventually go on strike —it deserves at least a mention. Stream it on Tubi or Paramount+.