Sujo

Sujo – a name used in Mexico for a free-roaming horse – is the curious nickname of a Mexican boy. The nickname was given to him by his father. When his father, a member of a gang, is murdered by his fellow gang members, Sujo is only four years old. The gang's tradition dictates that all male family members of the murdered person must also be killed, to prevent revenge killings. However, Sujo's aunt Nemesia has other plans. She hides Sujo in a remote cabin. His only connections to the outside world at that time are his aunt and her two children. Thus begins the difficult journey of Sujo’s life as he grows into a young adult amid the temptations of the cartel and the constant struggle to stay on the right path. While films about drug cartels are often filled with violence and gunfire, Sujo focuses on the consequences for the home front. It presents a sensitive human drama, which won the Grand Jury Prize in the Best World Cinema category at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. A hopeful film that shows that sons do not always have to follow in the footsteps of their criminal fathers on the path to adulthood.