The Silent Virgin

Local title
Vaikiv neitsi
Original title
La virgen silenciosa
Director
Xavi Sala
Country
Year
2025
Festival
29th Black Nights Film Festival
Programme
Genre

Silence, identity, and justice in contemporary Mexican society.

“The Silent Virgin” is an unflinching portrait of Valeria, a young Mexican woman caught between a repressive mother and a nation in turmoil. Her queer love becomes the spark that challenges silence, systemic impunity, and inherited shame. With a title as charged as its themes, this thrilling and passionate film confronts the personal as political in a country where speaking out can cost you everything.

Director Xavi Sala states: “I am aware that there is a struggle for women to represent themselves against the patriarchal and colonial system of domination. However, I consider it important that everyone become involved in the reality of women and change their perspective, being conscious of our shared history of racial and gendered violence, and accepting the challenge of fostering a process of social change and transformation. I am aware of my responsibility as a screenwriter/director in the construction of the world.”

The lead actress Zamira Franco is a major discovery and a talent to look out for, as is the gifted, witty, and dedicated Xavi Sala, who manages to entertain the audience while reflecting on very important contemporary issues of your society- not only in Mexico, but around the globe.

Nikolaj Nikitin

Director
Xavi Sala
Screenwriter
Xavi Sala
Cast
Zamira Franco, Mercedes Hernández, Ruth Ramos
Producer
Xavi Sala
Cinematographer
Martín Boege
Editing
Aldo Álvarez Morales
Composer
Julio de la Rosa
Sound
Iván Primosich, Raynier Hinojosa, Miguel Molina
Production
Xavi Sala p.c.
Runtime
Language
Subtitles
Director
Xavi Sala

Xavi Sala (1971) is a Mexican screenwriter, director and film producer. His short "Hiyab" (2005) was nominated for the Goya Awards. His feature-length film debut,"Guie’dani’s Navel" ("Xquipi’ Guie’dani", 2018), was selected for more than 40 festivals. It won 9 awards and it was sold, among others, to HBO USA, and commercially released in Mexico and Spain. Sala has directed nine short films and participated in many festivals. He received more than 80 awards and has become internationally recognized. Some of these film festivals include Tampere, Oberhausen, Dresden, San Sebastian, Berlin, Guadalajara, Sao Paulo, Kyiv, Saint Petersburg, Los Angeles, Chicago, Montreal, Seoul, Sidney, Tangier, etc. He is currently in pre-production on his new film titled Black Hands ("Manos Negras").
Filmography:
Xquipi' Guie'dani (2018), La virgen silenciosa (The Silent Virgin, 2025)

Screenings

Screening090621 / Vaikiv neitsi
SubtitlesEnglish
Q&A duration
Screening duration
Trailer