Director Alaric S. Rocha and producer Rana Joy Glickman have announced the World premiere of their feature film “Where is Juan Moctezuma?” as part of London’s FrightFest 2025.
Rocha’s film uncovers the untold story of Moctezuma’s legacy, steeped in Mexican horror history and Aztec lore. The 1970s horror film auteur Juan F. Moctezuma II reportedly influenced the work of mega-directors Guillermo del Toro, Robert Rodriguez, Sam Raimi, and more. However, the last film Moctezuma made, his first in Hollywood, produced by Roger Corman, “1000 Paths of Death,” was shrouded in mystery because it was shot in complete secrecy. And then he disappeared with the footage. Did his nemesis, the famous luchador Scorpion, sabotage his work yet again? Discover the truth in this fun film that delves into every level of the Mexican exploitation industry as it unfolds its obsessive tale.
“I want audiences to remember that Mexican cinema has a long, rich history that predates the international spotlight brought by Del Toro, Cuarón, and Iñárritu,” says Rocha. “The film is both a celebration of that early cinema and an homage to the scrappy, subversive spirit of B-horror movies, told with a touch of Latin magical realism and tragic romance. At its heart lies a tragic lesson Moctezuma refused to believe: life is not like the movies. Yet in his work, he searched for the doorway into real-life magical realism, and he inspires me to keep trying to bridge that gap myself. I keep making films, chasing that romantic hope that maybe life can be like the movies, and I hope audiences will be moved to keep questioning, imagining, and rediscovering the forgotten corners of film history.”
“Where is Juan Moctezuma?” will world premiere at FrightFest on Sunday, August 24, at 8:55 p.m. BST at the ODEON Luxe Leicester Square.
