1938: When Mexico Recovered Its Oil

1938: When Mexico Recovered Its Oil is a 2025 Mexican historical drama film co-written, co-produced and directed by Sergio Olhovich. It stars Ianis Guerrero as President Lázaro Cárdenas, who faces the decision to expropriate the oil industry while powerful foreign companies try to prevent it.

Synopsis

In 1938, President Lázaro Cárdenas faced the most difficult decision of his term: to expropriate the oil industry. Powerful foreign companies were unwilling to allow this; the decision also required compensating them to avoid a major international conflict. It was at this point that the Mexican people united to contribute whatever they could to ensure the return of oil to the nation.

The actors participating in this film are:

The film took 20 years to produce. Sergio Olhovich and Carlos Montemayor wrote a 300-page script, which was cut to 120 pages by Olhovich alone after Montemayor's death. Principal photography began in October 2021 at Mexico's National Palace and ended in May 2022.

The film had its world premiere on March 18, 2025, at the Cineteca Nacional, followed by a wide national theatrical release on March 20. It was subsequently screened on April 18, 2025, at the 47th Moscow International Film Festival.