Translated: Julieta Venegas/ Eugenia Leon

Out of the 4 films I managed to catch at the Vancouver International Film Festival this year, my favourite was Quemar las Naves, or Burn the Bridges in English. Burn the Bridges tells the story of Helena and Sebastian, siblings stuck in a crumbling colonial mansion caring for their gravely ill and bedridden mother. Their situation is one of precarious harmony until a boy with a rough background transfers to Sebastian's school and Sebastian must deal with his burgeoning homosexuality.

I know this isn't much of a synopsis, but it's hard to sum up the wonderful character-driven drama and smart comedic moments in this film and in the gems of contemporary Mexican cinema in general. For example, how would you describe Y Tu Mama Tambien? A film about two teenage boys on a road trip with an older woman whom they plan to seduce. And Amores Perros? Three love stories which intersect because a car accident in Mexico City touches all of the characters' lives. You see? It's difficult to do without spoiling the movie or turning this blog post into a novella. Just trust me when I say this is an extremely impressive and memorable film.

Equally haunting is the song "Mi Principio" by Eugenia Leon, which echoes the film's title and recurs throughout as a motif for endings and fresh starts. For the movie soundtrack, folksy pop singer Julieta Venegas did a cover of "Mi Principio," adding her own special touch with her smooth vocals and mellow sound. You can listen to Julieta sing and see clips from Quemar Las Naves in the Youtube video below. If this video doesn't pique your curiosity and inspire you to check out more Mexican cinema, I don't know what will.

Want to hear Eugenia belt it out? Check out Senora Leon's version here. Talk about powerhouse vocals!

Anyway, I dedicate this song and my translation of the lyrics to anyone out there seeking to leave bad situations behind and embark on fresh starts.

Mi Principio ("My Beginning")

One day I'm going to go
And I won't ever return
I would prefer the solitude
Than to live without my truth
You'll miss me for sure
Like a city bird
that goes seeking the sea

Because in the end
Even though I was happy here
I must move on, to a place far from here
Don't misunderstand me
It doesn't concern two people
It seems like the end but it's my beginning

One day I'm going to go
And I won't ever return
I would prefer the solitude
Than to live without my truth

Because in the end
Even though I was happy here
I must move on, to a place far from here
Don't misunderstand me
It doesn't concern two people
It seems like the end but it's my beginning
Don't misunderstand me
It doesn't concern two people
It seems like the end but it's my beginning

One day I'm going to go
And I won't ever return
I would prefer the solitude
Than to live without my truth

Without my truth
Without my truth