In The Last First Time, writer-director Rafael Ruiz Espejo crafts a raw and tender coming-of-age journey that unfolds over a single, life-altering night. 

Eighteen-year-old Eduardo leaves his small Mexican hometown for the bustling city of Guadalajara to sit a university entrance exam. But away from the oppressive watch of his mother, he’s thrust into a world that’s overwhelming, intoxicating, and unexpectedly liberating. 

What begins as a simple academic trip quickly spirals into a whirlwind of firsts—first crush, first heartbreak, first high, and first brush with the freedom to explore his sexuality on his own terms.

Unflinching in its depiction of queer desire, the film offers a candid portrayal of youth navigating identity, desire, and self-worth. Intimate and grounded, The Last First Time resonates with the emotional truth of C.R.A.Z.Y. and the quiet yearning of Call Me By Your Name, yet stands entirely on its own. 

It’s a deeply affecting, sensual, and quietly revolutionary portrait of self-discovery. You’ll leave with your heart a little heavier—and somehow a little lighter, too.

68 San Francisco Int'l Film Festival – World Premiere

Screens with the short film Pleasure - Jasper Caverly, Australia, 2025, 9:5