'Evangelio,' 'Bajo' top Guadalajara fest

'Sexo' also receives nods

By MARY SUTTER

GUADALAJARA, Mexico -- Top honors were split at the 14th Guadalajara Muestra, or showcase, of Mexican film, which attracted more international interest than past fests.

The international jury tapped Arturo Ripstein's "El Evangelio de las Maravillas" (Divine) for best pic, while the national jury chose Carlos Bolardo's "Bajo California: El Limite del Tiempo" (Under California: the Edge of Time), which bowed at Sundance.

The audience prize at the fest, which ended Thursday, went to Antonio Serrano's debut feature, "Sexo, Pudor y Lagrimas" (Sex, Shame and Tears). A wry look at the relationships of a group of urbanites, "Sexo" has been picked up by 20th Century Fox Mexico for local distribution.

This year 11 Mexican features were screened, up from eight in 1997. An influx of government coin, new local producers and support for Ibero and Latino co-productions are rekindling hopes for a revival of the Mexican film industry, whose production levels have hit historic lows in recent years.