Quemar las Naves is a 2007 Mexican film directed by Francisco Franco-Alba, based on the script co-written by actress Maria Reneé. The film was shot in the Mexican state of Zacatecas

Zacatecas

Zacatecas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Zacatecas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is Zacatecas....

 and addresses issues such as incest

Incest

Incest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...

and homosexuality. It officially premiered in October 2007 at the Festival Internacional de Cine de Morelia.

Plot

Helena (Irene Azuela) and Sebastian (Ángel Onésimo Nevárez) are a teenaged brother and sister who have been reunited at their home while looking after their ailing mother, Eugenia (Claudette Maille). Eugenia has been diagnosed with cancer and doesn't have long to live, and it has fallen to Helena and Sebastian to care for her in her last months, with Helena (who is older) spending her days with her mother while Sebastian goes to school and looks in on Eugenia in the evenings. Helena finds herself strongly attracted to Sebastian, but while he also has feelings for her, he's also drawn to men, most notably roughneck schoolmate Juan (Bernardo Benitez). As the reality of their mother's fate becomes clearer, Helena and Sebastian's confusion about love, mortality and family becomes more acute, and circumstances become even more muddled when they take in a boarder, Aurora (Jessica Segura), and Sebastian falls in with wealthy Ismael (Ramón Valdes).

Cast

• Irene Azuela as Helena
• Ángel Onésimo Nevárez as Sebastián
• Claudette Maillé as Eugenia
• Bernardo Benitez as Juan
• Juan Carlos Barreto as Efraín
• Jessica Segura as Aurora
• Ramón Valdes as Ismael

Awards

The film won two awards in 2008: the Golden Ariel for Best Actress (Irene Azuela) and the Silver Ariel for Best Original Music (Alejandro Giacomán, Joselo Rangel).