Mexican director Lila Avilés, winner of the Golden Bear at the 2023 Berlinale for "Totém," has completed production on her next feature, "Cábula," and released a first-look image ahead of its presentation at the Venice Gap-Financing Market, running from 4-6 September. Set in the fictional town of Mexicalpan, the film follows a devoted teacher, Toña, whose class trip to represent their community exposes them to elites seeking to exploit local customs, before she reaffirms her faith in education's transformative power. The project marks a significant follow-up for Avilés, who has twice represented Mexico in the Oscars' best international feature race and is regarded as part of a new wave of female Mexican filmmakers.

"Cábula" was written by Avilés with Miguel Vasallo and produced by Nicolás Celis, a "Roma" producer, through his Mexico City company Cuadernos de Cine, with Maria Zamora of Elastica Films co-producing. It stars Teresita Sánchez, whom Avilés has worked with on both her previous films and describes as her "muse," alongside Gabriela Cartol and Montserrat Marañón. The director said the film uses comedy as a form of resistance and pays tribute to underpaid teachers, and that the story has been in development since she was making her earlier films "The Chambermaid" and "Totém."