By Isabelle Miller

A film about one of Mexico's darkest civil, created by a University of Kent researcher, will be airing on KMTV tonight.

The ten-year long struggle of the Mexican revolution toppled a dictator and created a constitutional republic. The reforms of the 1917 Constitution of Mexico are still in place today, but at the time it prompted secularist and anti-clerical articles that created tension between Church and State.

The Cristero War of 1926-29, fought in the deeply religious centre-west, was a bloody and violent episode in Mexico’s history. The rural rebellion was instigated as a response to President Plutarco Elías Calles, who sought to eliminate the power of the Catholic Church.

It ended when the Church withdrew its support for the Cristero fighters, however the tension and violence continued for years after.

Almost 100 years later, University of Kent researcher Dr Mark Lawrence has explored the country's memory of the war. Though Church and State fought fiercely against each other, the conflict was more complicated than many remember it.

In a 12-minute documentary alongside KMTV, Dr Lawrence delves into the different motivations of those involved and the innocent civilians who are the forgotten victims caught in one of Mexico's bloodiest civil wars.

The film is part of the ‘Kent Thinks Discovers’ series, produced in collaboration with the University of Kent. Dr Mark Lawrence guides us through a multitude of perspectives that researchers continue to shed light on.

Dr Lawrence said: “The Cristero War began in 1926 but never really ended. The religious tensions and local vendettas it unleashed reverberated throughout the last century.

"Even now, almost a century later, the scars of the conflict can be seen throughout the west of Mexico, as our film-making travels in January showed.”

The documentary leads us through Western Mexico, speaking to researchers, local people with descendants who fought in the war and those helping Dr Lawrence show the war free of bias - crucial because for decades both the state and the church only displayed their own portrayal of the war.

The images and music used in the film are credited to the researchers who have helped to explore the history and memory of the Cristero War.

Leading historian Jean Meyer pioneered research into the war and was one of the first people to initiate a conversation on the topic, after releasing ‘La Cristiada’ in 1973. The photos collated in Meyer’s book provide a fascinating visual insight into the story of rural farmers, state fighters and civilians.

The music used throughout the film comes from research by Dr Luis Rubio Hernansaez of Universidad Autónoma Zacatecas, exploring how each song helps to keep memories alive through generations.

KMTV's Editor-in chief Andy Richards believes the film will have an impact far beyond the University of Kent.

He said: "Protecting the memory of something that will continue to impact the people of Mexico for generations to come is vital.

"This film, alongside the research of Dr Lawrence, highlights aspects of a devastating event in Mexican history with sensitivity. This, I’m sure will mean a lot to many people who still feel incredible pain remembering the past.”

Jill Hurst, from the University of Kent’s Research Excellence Team added: “This is an exquisitely made and deeply poignant film that demonstrates beautifully the real-life impact of academic research. Something that would not be possible without the Global Challenges Research Fund.

"Thanks to the creative flair and innovation of our colleagues at KMTV it’s so exciting to be able to share Mark’s work with friends and partners not just in the UK, but across the globe, especially in Mexico.”

'La Cristiada, A Civil War’ premieres tonight at 7.15pm on Freeview 7 and Virgin 159 channel KMTV.

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