Opulent theaters, rainy red carpets, big screen celebs, and up-and-coming auteurs: you’ve read all about Remezcla’s adventures at last week’s Guanajuato International Film Festival, but some things you just have to see to believe. So we’ve gone ahead and put together a gallery of our cinematic escapades in the land of the frog mountains (that’s what Guanajuato means in Purépecha, in case you were wondering), so you can feel the commotion and frenesí that GIFF brings once a year to the otherwise tranquil slopes of the Sierra Madre Oriental.

Things kicked off on July 17 in the picturesque expat town of San Miguel de Allende, where the vibe was low-key and intimate. We eventually packed up and hauled over to the grandiose capital city of Guanajuato with its stunning panoramas and creepy mummies. Over the course of 10 packed days, we saw a little bit of everything: from an impromptu recital by a transgender opera singer to the latest in virtual reality headsets, to intellectually stimulating panel discussions and goofy cumbia cover bands. The free mezcal flowed like water and the tacos al pastor were more plentiful than Times Square falafel, but in the end it was about one thing: movies.

Indeed, GIFF was a more than fitting homage to the seventh art, with all the vibrancy, color, and passion of a truly Mexican celebration. So forget about name brands like Sundance and Cannes (okay, you don’t have to forget about them), and mark your calendars for July 2016, when GIFF is slated to come back for its 19th edition. In the meantime, check out these photos and feel the mystical cinematic vibes that only the state of Guanajuato could provide.