Jaripeo

Every Christmas in Penjamillo, Michoacán, the annual jaripeo, or central Mexican rodeo, draws locals and returning migrants from the U.S., celebrating what it means to be a cowboy from Michoacán. It evokes nostalgia and reinforces cultural norms, reminding the diaspora of “”what it means to be a man”” in rural Mexican society.

Beneath the jaripeo’s spectacle, another narrative unfolds: fleeting touches, knowing glances, and secretive hookups in the woods behind the rodeo arena. These moments reveal a hidden queer subculture born out of this environment. Filmmaker Efraín, who grew up between Penjamillo and Riverside, California, guides us through this world, blending personal experience with layered storytelling. A combination of Super8 footage, stylized memories, and raw verité are used to interrogate the very machismo that the jaripeo champions.

Efraín meets our two other protagonists at the Christmas jaripeo: Noé, a macho and desirable cowboy who, though out to some members of his family, still lives mostly in secret. And Joseph, a flamboyant diva and jaripeo super fan, who is a beloved pillar of his community.

We follow Efraín on a journey to recognize the self, while his interactions with our other protagonists create rich and complex portraits of each of their lives.