Céline Roustan

Two guys get admitted to the ER with bloody mouths… cut to their first date, with all the usual awkwardness of meeting someone for the first time in a public space. How does it go from choosing what to order to ending up in a hospital? With ¡Beso de lengua!, writer/director José Luis Zorrero crafts an absurd, bonkers narrative that he brings to the screen with wild energy and a razor-sharp sense of humor.

“This film is a sincere reflection of someone who desires human connection”

Despite the bloody ending in a hospital, this is actually the story of a successful first date! Itzcóatl and Moisés connect, momentarily block out the world around them, and put the term French kiss to shame with their own rebrand: a Beso de lengua. Zorrero confessed that “as someone who romanticizes partners and romance, longs for flowers on Valentine’s Day, but has never experienced romantic love, this film is a sincere reflection of someone who desires human connection.” While the concept is undeniably insane, he pushes it to the limit and uses it as a surprisingly effective metaphor for dating.

Viewer discretion is advised when watching ¡Beso de lengua! – both the images and the sound design might turn some viewers’ stomachs. Zorrero subverts genre elements to deepen the love story while also making the film more captivating and fun for the audience. Tonally, he isn’t afraid to linger in the moments, letting the rhythm amplify the general awkwardness. Editor Fernando Siller crafts the perfect pacing across the film’s different layers, making it feel chaotic in the best possible way.

“We wanted a mix of texture and color that would naturally pop in the film stock we had chosen” – Zorrero discussing the production

Shot on 16mm by DP Constanza Moctezuma, the film carries an immediate sense of nostalgia while also giving the images a larger-than-life quality. You can see the romanticization Zorrero mentioned in the framing, the color palette, and Ariana Pérez’s production design. “We organically decided on having a 60’s mod inspired aesthetic,” he shared with us. The visual language gently eases audiences into the film’s singular narrative – and its more intense sound design. Anyone with misophonia might need to turn off the volume.

The sound design by Joel Argüelles is what really stayed with me after watching the film for the first time. It’s so effective you could say it gets under your skin, pushing you into the back-and-forth between the characters. It traps you inside the film – for better or worse -and makes the viewing experience feel so special and memorable. 

Ahead of its online debut, ¡Beso de lengua! had its World Premiere at the 2024 edition of Tribeca and went on to be selected at multiple other festivals including the Palm Springs Short Fest and Drama. It also picked up awards in Guanajuato and Leeds.