Mexican actor Diego Luna will be making his feature directorial debut this month, with his film Abel set to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.

After his mother brings little Abel home from the psychiatric ward, his family worries about how he will handle his father’s absence and whether or not he will suffer an emotion breakdown. He surprises them by deciding that he will become the father of the house, taking over the responsibilities of a family man. All is going well until a stranger shows up claiming to be his father. The film is told from the young boy’s perspective, as he blurs reality and fantasy.

Abel is a Mexican production, and was filmed in Aguascalientes and Mexico City’s Churubusco Studios, with a reported budget of $2.73 million (or 35 million pesos).

At a press conference held in Aguascalientes this past summer, Luna described that the film, “deals with a universal relationship, that of a father’s and his son. One of the most important things this film will question is why do adults tend to pressure kids into growing up well before their time.”

Abel stars Mexican thesp Jose Maria Yazpik, who had appeared alongside Luna in the crime drama Just Walking, which premiered in 2008.

Luna is best known for his roles in Y tu mamá también and Milk. He also starred in last year’s Rudo y Cursi with his Y tu mamá también co-star Gael García Bernal.

Abel was produced by Canana Films, a company Luna and Bernal started with producer Pablo Cruz. Canana Films also produced Bernal’s directorial debut Déficit (2007), as well as Luna’s documentary directorial debut J.C. Chávez (2007).

Abel is part of the festival’s non-competition line-up, and will be screening in both Park City and Salt Lake City venues. The 2010 Sundance Film Festival takes place January 21-31.

Check out a video with Luna discussing his film below:

How do you think Luna will do in this transition from actor/producer to director?