From the Shared Patio to the Endless Metropolis: The Representation of Mexico City in Ensemble Films

Abstract

Film, like other narrative media, has tried to represent the diversity and complexity of urban life ever since its origins. This article provides a (non-exhaustive) reading of ensemble films, identifying formats, narrative techniques, locations and stories that filmmakers have used to this end, both in fictional and documentary films. This analysis focuses on films set in Mexico City