The Festival Internacional de Cine de Morelia received Guillermo del Toro with cheers, applause and shouts at the special screening of 'El Laberinto del Fauno,' where the filmmaker waved greetings and smiled throughout, according to EL UNIVERSAL's report carried by Yahoo en Español.

The event marked the 24th edition of the festival and formed part of the celebration of the film's re-release through Cinépolis +QUE CINE.

Before the screening, del Toro received the festival's Artistic Excellence Award from FICM president Alejandro Ramírez and festival founder Daniela Michel, per Gritaradio. The red carpet also featured star Ivana Baquero, cinematographer Guillermo Navarro and producer Bertha Navarro.

According to Gritaradio, the day began at Teatro Morelos with a masterclass in which del Toro reflected on art as an expression born of personal experience that builds human connections through stories.

He discussed how his own memories shaped his work, the influence of painting on his cinematic language, and the value of failure as part of artistic learning.

He told the audience that when making films, 'you don't feel they are yours, you feel you are returning a gift to people,' and that the director is 'the ambassador of the film.'

Later at Teatro Melchor Ocampo, he received the Medalla Filmoteca UNAM before joining Baquero, Guillermo Navarro and Bertha Navarro to discuss the film's legacy two decades after its 2006 release.

Gritaradio reports that del Toro addressed why the film resonates with new generations, saying that while he doesn't consider it important for young people to discover it, 'it is beautiful,' and noting that 'there are films that have no age, and I think El Laberinto del Fauno is one of them.'

He also reflected on why its themes feel timely despite the historical setting, observing that 'the forces of the universe are cyclical' and that nothing is permanent, which he said can offer serenity.

CNN en Español, in a video by Erick E. Beltran, reports that del Toro grew emotional during the festival, lamenting that several generations have failed young people, who will inherit what he called 'a world in ruins.'

He also voiced his support for the demonstrations in Guadalajara demanding a solution to water pollution. The remarks give the anniversary a sharper edge: a filmmaker whose most famous work is about children confronting fascist brutality using that occasion to speak to Mexico's present crises.

Per Gritaradio, the remastered version began screening October 15 in both 2D 4K and 3D, with del Toro supervising the process, which he described as work of 'humans for humans' involving more than 1,300 people.

The rerelease is available in selected Cinépolis +QUE CINE theaters, with tickets sold through the Cinépolis Go app and the official site.

For film fans, the stakes are twofold: a chance to see a modern fantasy landmark back on the big screen under the director's own supervision, and a reminder that del Toro remains willing to use festival platforms to address Mexico's social realities, as CNN en Español documented.