Summary

The female protagonists of the Mexican novel Regina (1987) and film Roma (2018), Regina and Cleo, find themselves at the crossroads of two politically charged protests and massacres in the nation: the Tlatelolco Massacre and the Corpus Christi massacre. Both Regina and Cleo face many challenges and share archetypal characteristics of hero or savior. In the film and novel, both protagonists overcome many obstacles to better understand themselves and in turn their nation. The lives of both women are woven into a narrative where their role as hero is to metaphorically rescue or save the nation from its long history of authoritarian rule and corruption. Each narrative reads as a form of historical fiction, which highlights in Regina the years up to and including 1968 and in Roma the years 1970 and 1971. The two artistic creations remember the Mexico of these tumultuous years while also challenging the narrative of the Mexico of the 21st century. In both the novel and the film, nature becomes a vehicle to enable and assist the protagonists on their journey to overcome a myriad of challenges. As such, both present a nostalgic yet critical analysis of Mexico’s past and provide insight on creating a new path for the future.