Mexican actress and screenwriter Ángeles Cruz stars in the feature film Sobre las olas (On the Waves), which begins screenings in Mexican cinemas on September 1, 2026. Directed by Mexican filmmaker Horacio Alcalá, the drama explores human fragility and challenges traditional maternal stigmas on a fictional island named Magdala.
The Mexican-Spanish co-production puts two women pursuing their dreams at the center of its narrative: Gloria Zamora, played by Cruz, and Rocío Aldama, portrayed by Spanish actress and singer Rocío Pérez Armenteros, who is known professionally as Roko. Gloria seeks financial relief and recognition from both her local church and community, while Rocío aspires to achieve theatrical stardom.
Cruz, who was born in Oaxaca in 1969, brings more than 30 years of professional experience to the project. Throughout her career as an actress, screenwriter, and director, she has consistently eschewed conventional roles in favor of depicting female desire and Indigenous resistance. Alcalá is best known for directing the 2021 feature film Finlandia, which received international acclaim for its portrayal of Indigenous culture and identity in southern Mexico.
Deconstructing Maternal Stereotypes
In an interview with news agency EFE, Cruz described the film as a fable about power, human fragility, and the societal pressures that break individuals within a hypocritical culture, particularly regarding the role of mothers. She noted that it was a delight to break away from the Mexican stereotype of the perfect mother.
Cruz explained that in Mexico, the maternal figure is widely treated as untouchable and incapable of holding negative thoughts. Calling that perception a lie, she stressed that mothers are complex individuals. She highlighted that her character, Gloria, confronts the audience directly by calling for an end to social hypocrisy regarding women who are imperfect in their desires and family responsibilities.
The actress emphasized that women face inherent imperfections in their affection and in balancing the demands of family care with the pursuit of personal dreams.
Parallel Storylines and Visual Aesthetics
The narrative unfolds across contrasting visual landscapes, moving between black-and-white sceneries in Madrid and the dreamlike rural setting of the island of Magdala, which was filmed on location in the western Mexican state of Jalisco.
Rocío's storyline follows her ambition to shine on stage, channeling the artistic legacy of Sara Montiel. Montiel, who lived from 1928 to 2013, was a legendary Spanish actress and singer who became one of the most prominent international icons during the golden age of Spanish cinema.
Within the ecclesiastical setting where Gloria seeks social and religious validation, Spanish actor Nacho Guerreros delivers a performance that weaves into her storyline.
Alcalá explained that he constructed the film around two parallel storylines, one of which is imaginary, leaving the audience to choose which character is real. The director revealed that he decided to create the story of the two mirroring women after having a dream involving Cruz in which she was crowned as a queen.
The filmmaker described Sobre las olas as a multi-layered sensory journey experienced through visual art and sound design. The film score and vocal soundscapes were created by Trondheim Voices, an ensemble from Norway known for experimental vocal music. Alcalá noted that his mother, who is deaf, was able to connect with the narrative entirely through its visual presentation.
Co-Production, Financing, and Award Ambitions
Reflecting on her work as co-screenwriter, Cruz acknowledged the creative freedom she experienced while writing the film, noting that such freedom is a quality she seeks in every project. She confessed that her primary motivation for pursuing writing and directing was to break away from acting roles that stigmatized her because of her Indigenous background, specifically seeking to avoid repetitive, racist, classist, and victimized stereotypes.
The production secured funding from the state government of Jalisco through its Cash Rebate program, an incentive initiative established to attract film projects to the region. Although key portions were filmed in Jalisco, Spain contributed 70 percent of the financial incentives under a bilateral co-production agreement between the two countries.
Sobre las olas made its world premiere at the Guadalajara International Film Festival (FICG), one of the main film festivals in Latin America. Following its festival debut, the feature film was designated as a candidate to represent Mexico at both the Oscar Awards and the Goya Awards for their 2027 editions.
Theatrical screenings in Mexican cinemas begin on September 1, 2026, marking the film's national commercial release.
