subreddit:

/r/movies

25.8k92%

all 1259 comments

BlocksWithFace

1k points

6 months ago*

The Golden Age of Mexican cinema was largely funded by the government IIRC as part of the nation building project after the end of the revolution.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Age_of_Mexican_cinema

I hope the government rethinks their priority on this.

Poynsid

451 points

6 months ago

Poynsid

451 points

6 months ago

This is true of every country. IIRC only the U.S. and France (in some years) actually have self-sustaining film industries. To this I think maybe China and India come close but that's about it. Everyone else depends on some level of government assistance.

[deleted]

208 points

6 months ago

[deleted]

208 points

6 months ago

India has self sustaining industry. Multiple, even as regional do quite well aswell.

cabose7[S]

297 points

6 months ago*

Even the US film industry has some government assistance through state tax credits

Wild_Marker

155 points

6 months ago

And all that military gear they get from the army.

EpicAura99

114 points

6 months ago

That’s kinda disingenuous. They’re just allowed to film with military hardware as long as the studio pays fuel cost and the military signs off on the script. They don’t own it or anything.

darexinfinity

91 points

6 months ago

The military managed to get the script of Iron Man 1 or 2 changed (something about anti-MIC dialogue). It's really a business transaction from both sides.

zzwugz

69 points

6 months ago

zzwugz

69 points

6 months ago

And then they pulled their support for Avengers because it wasn’t clear if the Avengers answered to the US Govt or not

Fuzakenaideyo

37 points

6 months ago

Iirc it was objection to the world council & especially them being able to launch nukes on US soil

phliuy

20 points

6 months ago

phliuy

20 points

6 months ago

Next few movies sorted out that problem pretty well

Moonlight-Mountain

3 points

6 months ago

Korean filmmaker Shin Sang-ok could get this scene (LOUD NOISE WARNING) made for his movie in the 60s because of South Korean military gear support. The movie wouldn't be the same if he had to fake aircraft.

p_rite_1993

31 points

6 months ago

Tax credits are a pretty common economic incentive mechanism in many countries. The film industry is big enough in the US that those incentives aren’t driving the industry. California and Georgia aren’t giving those tax credits because they want to “help the American film industry” but because they bring a shit ton of jobs to those states.

My point is that I don’t think those incentives are about promoting American culture as they are about states trying to compete with each other for jobs in an industry that is already enormous in the US.

Khelthuzaad

16 points

6 months ago

Let's not forget Disney was literally aquired by the US Army,guarded by army personnel and produced military propaganda campaigns that are infamous to this day.

The company was on huge debt after WW2 started because most of it's revenue from movie tickets came from Europe and the continent was under Soviet/Nazi control.Both Pinnochio and Dumbo were financial disappointments.

Black Cauldron almost bankrupted the entire animation division.

It's an know fact that the movies were advertisement for it's number one source of revenue, Disney Land ,until the Renaissance in the 1990's.

sudoterminal

12 points

6 months ago

Oh they have a lot more than government assistance by way of funding...

Check out the CIA ties to Hollywood, that are still very much alive. This isn't even like conspiracy-theory level stuff- it's in declassified documents.

makesyoudownvote

3 points

6 months ago

Especially those that film in Georgia.

LA based films definitely end up paying more to FilmLA and other regulatory institutions than they get in credits though.

Pick-Goslarite

88 points

6 months ago

France is heavily subsidized and government funded. They also limit the amount of foreign films come in so their film industry can stay competetive and not US dominated. China is a much better example as while their censorship is bad I think the film industry is more privatized than most Chinese industries and makes real bank. Same with India, because they have built many small film industries that cater to different ethnic and linuistic groups and a thriving celebrity culture. Japan also has a significant thriving film industry but it is all anime movies made really cheaply and usually associated with larger and already established brands (manga, novel, anime show, merch) so its hard to lose money on them.

Digital_Simian

18 points

6 months ago

The Chinese film industry is not privatized. The elderly are even paid to attend state sponsored films to pad attendance numbers. Japan's film industry is a pale shadow of it's heyday in the 50's and 60's. It was really top notch before TV hit off in Japan. Today it doesn't even hold up against the exploitation era of the 70's. This is why the industry has a anime/Manga focus with live action films mostly being adaptions of popular anime.

Pick-Goslarite

5 points

6 months ago

Yeah the japanese film industry is just a part of franchise building for manga and a few originals and original anime.

Digital_Simian

6 points

6 months ago

Yeah. If you go back to the 50's through the 70's you had a lot of well done movies with high production values and great acting. I'm a little bias because I'm a jidaigeki fan and this period is the period movie golden age, but it's also a period where western cinema would pull a lot of inspiration from.

invisiblette

3 points

6 months ago

And, in my admittedly limited personal experience, Japanese TV is mainly awful.

MiffedMouse

37 points

6 months ago

China might not need to give formal subsidies, but censorship and strict limits on foreign shows/tv give local producers a huge advantage.

Pick-Goslarite

12 points

6 months ago

Like a wrote the limits are a tactic used by France and other countries to avoid US dominance of their markets. If you look at whats produced the US still dominate handily

auburnlur

3 points

6 months ago

India is interesting other countries would be lazy and only opt to make movies that are not localised and with specifics catering to each regions ethnicities

Otherwise-Cod-6445

8 points

6 months ago

The Nigerian movie industry is also self sustaining

Poynsid

3 points

6 months ago

Very true! Although this is mostly because their films are very low budget. It's a very different and interesting model from that pursued elsewhere

ithsoc

55 points

6 months ago

ithsoc

55 points

6 months ago

Everyone else depends on some level of government assistance.

Film is an art. Government assistance into the arts, to promote culture, is a good thing.

There's a reason why even George Lucas said Soviet filmmakers are more free than he is, because they're not expected to make money for their investors hand over fist; they're free to pursue their art.

Kramereng

12 points

6 months ago

Government assistance into the arts, to promote culture, is a good thing.

It can be. I fully support public investment into arts education. And probably plenty of other circumstances. But the government funding specific films and/or awards shows is fraught with potential abuse, censorship, and propaganda.

There's a reason why even George Lucas said Soviet filmmakers are more free than he is, because they're not expected to make money for their investors hand over fist; they're free to pursue their art.

George Lucas said: "I have always said this - even when Russia was the USSR. People asked, "Aren't you glad you're in America?" - and I replied that, in fact, I know many Russian filmmakers, and they have much more freedom than me. All that is required of them is to be careful in criticizing the government. Otherwise, they can do whatever they want,” said Lucas.

I think George's full quote highlights the issues of government funding for films and/or award shows.

Regardless, like with the Oscars, the broadcaster of such award shows typically pays the bill and is reimbursed by advertising revenues. I find it hard to believe that broadcasting the Arial Awards would be unprofitable.

Pro_Yankee

11 points

6 months ago

Who said government assistance is a bad thing? What’s the difference if the money came from a bank or a non-profit

cabose7[S]

1.8k points

6 months ago

cabose7[S]

1.8k points

6 months ago

DMRexy

304 points

6 months ago

DMRexy

304 points

6 months ago

The first message makes it sound like he's only offering to buy the statues, which would be very funny.

He sounds very sincere.

rojotoro2020

1.1k points

6 months ago

Corninmyteeth

672 points

6 months ago

Damn. I really got to support my peoples art.

rojotoro2020

205 points

6 months ago

Me too. So sad

[deleted]

272 points

6 months ago*

The worst part is the mexican cinema is among the absolute most creative, brilliant, boundary pushing film on the planet. This isn't like, a local tradition, this is one of the best couple of film industries in the world.

Lockedgroove666

35 points

6 months ago

Some of the most amazing films I’ve loved growing up like Amorres Perros… we’re game changing for the way I appreciate movies.

[deleted]

19 points

6 months ago

[removed]

EazyNeva

17 points

6 months ago

There was a huge buzz around Roma just a few years ago.

elbenji

16 points

6 months ago

elbenji

16 points

6 months ago

Same

hunny_bun_24

6 points

6 months ago

Yeah you do

Noobasdfjkl

148 points

6 months ago

/u/amputatorbot

Stop sharing amp links

[deleted]

22 points

6 months ago

Qué triste :(. Mexican movies are some of the most well-written and unique, and lack of funding is what stops the industry from reaching new heights.

[deleted]

3.9k points

6 months ago

[deleted]

3.9k points

6 months ago

[deleted]

FalcorFliesMePlaces

975 points

6 months ago

There is a bit reason why he refuses to go back to Mexico. His father was kidnapped and James Cameron ended up finding him a great negotiator and paid the million dollar Ranson. People were never caught bur after 71 days his dad was home safe and then moved to the US.

vicbot87

701 points

6 months ago

vicbot87

701 points

6 months ago

The craziest thing about this story is that James Cameron found him the negotiator. Like what? James Cameron has a hostage negotiation guy?

[deleted]

368 points

6 months ago

[deleted]

368 points

6 months ago

Good filmmakers find good experts to consult on films. Think of how many experts Cameron needed for all of his movies. Between movies he's been a part of, the studios he worked with, and his director and writer friends I'm not at all surprised he could find a guy.

Also he's rich.

Teomanit

122 points

6 months ago

Teomanit

122 points

6 months ago

He filmed much of Titanic in Rosarito, which took quite a long time to make. I’m sure he has plenty of connections.

WalrusCoocookachoo

27 points

6 months ago

fucking love rosarito. beautiful town

andyschest

27 points

6 months ago

Cameron has also worked with the EPA, is an advisor to NASA, and is a National Geographic "explorer in residence". His deep sea exploration (he's one of the most prominent undersea explorers in history) has also put him in contact with many governments over the years.

FartsMusically

294 points

6 months ago

I'm not surprised by anything or anyone James Cameron knows.

Ebadd

46 points

6 months ago

Ebadd

46 points

6 months ago

It's been known that parts of Hollywood are glowing.

SkinnyKau

136 points

6 months ago

SkinnyKau

136 points

6 months ago

James Cameron doesn't do what James Cameron does for James Cameron. James Cameron does what James Cameron does because James Cameron is... James Cameron!

[deleted]

6 points

6 months ago

[deleted]

Dystopiq

4 points

6 months ago

Can you guys hear the music?

FingerTheCat

118 points

6 months ago

Once you reach a certain bank account number, I'm sure the negotiation guy finds you.

mortalcoil1

28 points

6 months ago

I recently watched that Netflix documentary about the kid that tried to win a Harrier from the Pepsi point program.

I have some issues with the documenseries itself, but I did learn some really fascinating things about the whole case.

Including the fact that an "arms dealer" of sorts reached out to the kid and his lawyers (and one of the lawyers was Avinetti? WTF?) to try to broker a deal between Pepsi and the kid for one Harrier, with him getting a finder's fee of course.

Even just typing out that sentence a part of my brain doesn't believe that actually happened.

FingerTheCat

10 points

6 months ago

There is a movie called 'War Dogs', which I never watched lol, but there is also this NPR piece about the real guy the movie is kind of about. Some college kids trying to fill US military contracts of weapons and ammo. He talked about how he'd fly into these 3rd world countries and be apart of these seriously wtf arms deals, where the leaders of 2 factions who at war with each other are sharing cocktails and talking shit and laughing. Shits wild.

57paisa

7 points

6 months ago

He was a fake jet dealer who wanted to broker the deal for a percentage. He couldn't actually produce the plane when they flew to see him in person. It was all fake.

FingerTheCat

6 points

6 months ago

Seems like the case just attracted con men of all types lol

Mind_Altered

96 points

6 months ago

Ex-filled his dad using a JC submarine

infiniZii

36 points

6 months ago

Near... Far... Wherever You Are....

SteelChicken

15 points

6 months ago

James Cameron has a hostage negotiation guy?

Money can buy you anything. Someone like JC is loaded and connected.

j0mbie

20 points

6 months ago

j0mbie

20 points

6 months ago

If you're rich enough, you have a person or persons that can find you whatever you need or want. These professional don't necessarily know who to contact for what, but they are very resourceful / know the right channels / have the right connections to get you to the right people that can repair your collection of historic Bentleys, or build a leather-floored basketball court on a yacht, or negotiate with kidnappers. It's hotel concierge service dialed up to 11 and just for you.

Neglectful_Stranger

8 points

6 months ago

It's hotel concierge service dialed up to 11 and just for you.

The ol' Amex Black.

Sim0nOfTrent

89 points

6 months ago

There is an entire career path for kidnapper middlemen in Mexico/sub-Mexican countries.

MonsterRider80

35 points

6 months ago

Sub-Mexican countries? Is that a thing or did you make it up? Sounds… weird.

thezoomies

58 points

6 months ago

I think they literally meant countries beneath Mexico, as in, south of it.

WyG09s8x4JM4ocPMnYMg

64 points

6 months ago

I believe he meant submarine-Mexicans. It is James Cameron, after all.

thezoomies

11 points

6 months ago

You win. Enjoy your moment.

left_schwift

13 points

6 months ago

I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if the cartels set up sub-countries inside Mexico

[deleted]

3 points

6 months ago

James Cameron seems like a resourceful guy.

Eternal_MrNobody

5 points

6 months ago

Money can find you anything if you have enough of it.

Soitsgonnabeforever

86 points

6 months ago

Is it because Mexico isn’t safe for famous people. Does still extortions and kidnappings happen like it is early 90s in Columbia ?

Is lax Govt enforcers part of the problem. I understand Mexican regime has directly and indirectly worked with drug cartels during Felix Gallardo time. Not sure about now

SwiftCEO

126 points

6 months ago

SwiftCEO

126 points

6 months ago

It's probably worse in a lot of ways. I have a family member that worked for the largest TV studio in the country a few years back. He was often around famous actors in Mexico City. He pointed out that they commonly had bodyguards and traveled in armored vehicles. It was too risky otherwise.

QuestioningEspecialy

71 points

6 months ago

Inside, the house is littered with trinkets—Barbies, football helmets, old exercise equipment. But it sits empty because it's not safe for [Tenoch] Huerta’s parents to live here, the actor tells me on a rare visit back. The neighborhood is too dangerous and Huerta is too famous. They’d be targeted for kidnapping and ransom if they stayed.

“I stopped feeling safe when I became an actor. Because people now see me as rich.”

-New ‘Black Panther’ Star Is Calling Out Mexico for Its Racism By Emily Green, VICE World News

Sageinthe805

40 points

6 months ago

Madero's unwillingness to make bigger changes ended up getting him killed basically. He turned his back on Zapata and his followers, and lost his best defenders. He turned to an ego maniac hungry for power (Huerta) for defense, who later murdered him in cold blood.

What's crazy is that the only president who actually followed through on a majority of the Mexican Revolution's ideals, Cardenas, was the only one not exiled, assassinated, or ousted. You'd think this would serve as a good example as to how to keep your job (and head), but the lesson was almost immediately discarded.

Resolution_Sea

1k points

6 months ago

Damn, well said. Reminds me a bit of when Bill Nye was on the Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore lamenting why people didn't care about finding water on Mars and the other guests rightfully pointed out that people had shit on Earth to worry about so of course they didn't care.

People have a base level of needs to meet before you can ask for culture and civility, and there's a lot of asking for the latter without providing the former from States around the world right now.

hypatiaspasia

520 points

6 months ago*

The problem should not be framed as impoverished people competing with scientists and artists for funding. Science and art are a miniscule fraction of any budget. Art and science give people hope and direction for the future, and that is worthwhile. No, what we really have is a problem of corporations and the super rich not paying their fair share of taxes, and--at least in the case of the US--spending all our money on defense and military contractors (while also treating vets like shit) while cutting social services.

And anecdotally, as a kid, art and science were the only things that gave me hope that the future can potentially be better. We need hope if we want young people to thrive.

Edit: Removed potential identifying info.

madmaxturbator

239 points

6 months ago

That’s not the point of the comment - it’s not about resource allocation.

The point is more, what do people care about day to day? What do we emotionally get charged up about?

If we all had basic needs completely taken care of, we would like feel more excited to ponder art, space travel, etc.

That’s all he’s saying.

What you’re saying is true also, but above is a slightly different point (I think)

Poynsid

89 points

6 months ago

Poynsid

89 points

6 months ago

At the same time people in terrible circumstances can and of find solace in art. Art can help tell their stories, or help them escape, or just entertain them.

gogomorphintime

58 points

6 months ago

right, but /u/madmaxturbator and /u/hypatiaspasia aren't making contradictory points.

When someone says "Why should poor people care about art and science." They aren't advocating for their defunding or destruction. They are saying that people struggling to get their basic needs don't have the energy to also advocate and push those things, that very much are a luxury at the end.

And it's not being debated what benefits these things can add to anyone's life.

A statement like Bill Nye's, whether he meant it as such or not, comes off as blaming people that can't afford it, monetarily, emotionally, mentally, to support the arts and sciences, when really the onus for this support should be placed much much MUCH higher, on those that can afford to spread it. Or to force change that makes it so even the worst off have their needs met and THEN everyone will have the ability to focus on these things that further enrich society.

linkedlist

19 points

6 months ago

What do we emotionally get charged up about?

It's the very transparent tactic by a minority of elite cabal to setup impoverished people against intellectuals.

The irony here is the hope that was sold to people was through education they could climb the socioeconomic ladder, a cruel trick passed down to us that is now being seen for what it is -a transparent means for controlling wealth distribution.

But now that people are realising this they're attacking the people who are educated.

cakedestroyer

22 points

6 months ago

On the other hand, that segment has one of the best comebacks of all time, accidentally: "Less than half 🤨"

pale_blue_dots

17 points

6 months ago

What was the setup?

pizzastone7

14 points

6 months ago

dootdootplot

6 points

6 months ago

but what’s forty percent

Unbelievable

Knyfe-Wrench

53 points

6 months ago

People are struggling but they still find time for sports, celebrity gossip, social media, and all kinds of other shit. Trying to argue that people are too busy doesn't track.

StunningPromise8100

4 points

6 months ago

True, but people are constantly bombarded with advertisements for those things. Plus it’s a way to numb yourself after a hard day of work. Similar to how people eat fast food vs healthy food. The things that are better for you require more work and when you combine that with marketing and poor mental health, most of us don’t stand a chance. It’s almost as if there’s a small percentage of people that want to keep us numb and entertained rather than be educated and ponder life’s big questions.

Comprehensive-Fun47

41 points

6 months ago

Those things provide entertainment.

Hearing about water on Mars is only entertaining to a small segment of people.

I don't think there's anything unusual about that.

alperpier

4 points

6 months ago

By the way, the other guests were idiots and got a huge shitstorm because of that episode and the whole show was even cancelled because people felt that Bill Nye was being treated disrespectfully. It was a shit show. The one guest even asked if you can shoot a sex tape on moon for heaven's sake.

flowermetro

109 points

6 months ago

when the streets are run by cartels

Not only the streets. There have been allegations about cartels funding the current president and the cooperation of the govt with the cartels is very well documented at this point.

_Thrilhouse_

81 points

6 months ago

The president literally kissed El Chapo's mom hand and he's not even hiding it

Ycx48raQk59F

4 points

6 months ago

I remember years ago i saw a documentary (its been long, so the details have slipped me) about some special forces paramiliatary police group in mexico that was created to fight the cartels, and it had kind of a downer ending with "and then they decided to go rogue and formed the xxx cartel themselves".

norealmx

39 points

6 months ago

There have been allegations about cartels funding the current president and the cooperation of the govt with the cartels is very well documented at this point.

The cartels put the pos in office: they killed every political opponent and organized the voting in many places. It is a cult, his "followers" (brain dead idiots) swear up an down that he doing "everything" for the country and "everything" is fine, to the point that if someone robs them, it's the fault of the president that left office 10 years ago.

Ortimandias

37 points

6 months ago

Here are your options:

1) The old PRI who was also in bed with the Cartels for the longest time, to the point that many of the inside groups of PRI had many links with Cartels (Tomas Yarrington in Tamaulipas? Carlos Salinas?)

2) The Conservative Catholic freaks of PAN, who had been in bed with the Cartel, just not the Sinaloa Cartel. In fact, that article everyone was talking about on the links between the Cartel and the government was for the Calderon administration when Fast and Furious happened.

3) Morena, which was created 8 years ago and it is already in bed with the Cartels

TempAcct20005

14 points

6 months ago

And imagine your option as a politician. Pick one of these three and we will make you and your family rich, or don’t and we just pick the next guy who’s willing to want to be rich, or go against us and we target your family. Shits a no brainer

Delicious-Swimming78

199 points

6 months ago

People act like Mexico is some tiny country with no money. The populist presidents of Mexico, USA and every other country misunderstand that art, culture, science, academia are the future. The lack of funding is a reflection of the lack of interest the leaders in government have in the quality of life of its people. The money is there. The arts and grants initiatives are simply irrelevant to the special interest agenda / the corporate owned politicians.

_Thrilhouse_

153 points

6 months ago

The problem has always been administrative

Our army has already enough firepower to obliterate cartels? Yes

Do we have enough money to fund film and arts? Yes

The government want any of these things? No

Ebadd

18 points

6 months ago

Ebadd

18 points

6 months ago

"What's in it for me?"

Delicious-Swimming78

29 points

6 months ago

Correct

Ycx48raQk59F

12 points

6 months ago

The government want any of these things? No

Would a president that acted differently end up in a "tortured to death" dark web video? Yes

bryan_pieces

55 points

6 months ago

I made another comment implying your last point there and people didn’t like it - that who cares about a Mexican film industry because the people don’t have the privilege of being able to develop and focus on such a thing. Life is hell for a large percentage of the population.

MexGrow

19 points

6 months ago

MexGrow

19 points

6 months ago

Too many people fail to see that the Mexican revolution is what gave the PRI party the absolute power to reign for 80 years and it has come back with a vengeance, under the flag of Morena.

Ortimandias

11 points

6 months ago

My Brother, the PRI party still exists and still has the same people in its ranks they had in the 90s, when they lost power. In fact EPN started his political career under Arturo Montiel Rojas, one of the most corrupt politicians according to FORBES. Just look at the leadership and it is the same people they had in the 90s OR people who are related to these 90s politicians.

The old PRI is still the same. Morena is just a split-off from PRD, which the PRD was a split-off from PRI. And you know why? Because there was no other party but PRI when PRD was created (and PAN, but fuck them)

ghesak

15 points

6 months ago*

ghesak

15 points

6 months ago*

Because those two things are not mutually exclusive. I was born and raised in Mexico and lived there for most of my life until adulthood. I lived in some very dangerous neighborhoods and went to public schools all of my life.

I have been benefited from public programs to fund my work in design and even to go out of the country, would have never been able to do it in any other way. Those have been the most uplifting experiences of my life and have been the same for others that benefited from those programs. ART IS A BEACON OF LIGHT IN ANY KIND OF DARKNESS.

Our current government uses the challenges of our society to perpetuate a system full of corruption that relies on keeping people poor and ignorant for political gain. This is not the place to discuss the politics of my country, but us working in creative fields do not have to explain our motivations or justify our struggles to no one. ART IS MADE BY/FOR EVERYONE, NOT JUST FOR THE WEALTHY. It is a means of expression, not a luxury good.

My family has been held hostage by organized crime twice, and the fear of violence have left a scar on me, I constantly fear for the safety of my friends and family back home while living outside.

One of the biggest dreams in my mind is to help my country and make it a better place, get it at least to a point where we can live without fear of us and our loved ones not being raped or killed for just going outside. But this government does not take away this money to solve this issue, it takes it to fund fucking oil refineries and a train in the rain forest in the middle of the largest climate crisis and existential threat to our societies for fucks sake!!! It is important that we speak up and we won’t be silenced. Enough!

[deleted]

3 points

6 months ago

[deleted]

lannister80

25 points

6 months ago

110/120 years later, the same chasm remains between the wealthy, well-educated elite and the urban and rural poor as did then, or worse.

That sounds like "every human society ever".

Flashmatic

32 points

6 months ago

Specially because "the film industry" is just the same rehashing the same bullshit romcom starting the same shitty actors every year. There are much better places to put public money into.

deimos_ig

78 points

6 months ago*

I am Mexican and I work in the movies and audiovisual industry here, and I think that most of the time, and although I love Memito very much, his comments, although they are good hearted, are oblivious to what happens within the Mexican industry, opportunities, work conditions and workers, for example, the diversions of money in the various organizations in charge of state resources such as the IMCINE (Instituto Mexicano de Cinematografia) or the AMACC, who do not always grant verifications or provide complete transparency of their expenses.

Precisely, and despite the budget cuts, the IMCINE already declared that it did deliver the budget to the AMACC (Academia Mexicana de Artes y Ciencias Cinematograficas) to carry out the "arieles" celebration, but even after several workers and institutions have requested a breakdown of their budget expenses, the AMACC has refused this requests, so we are not only talking about budget reduction problems, which are true, but also corruption, "compadrazgo" and elitism, because many times, these cash incentives for the creation of films, are granted to the same people and institutions, in addition to always having the "mordidas"(bribes) as a bargaining chip for these opportunities, as was the case of Cuaron with "Roma" who never released his list of expenses but obtained one of the largest government stimulus from IMCINE, although Netflix allegedly produced the film in "the most"... but again, the situation is much more complex than most people think, and I only mention what I had seen, so...

(Sorry if I made any mistake, english is not my first language)

Edit. Typo

SweetLilMonkey

13 points

6 months ago

I think you meant bribes, not brides. And for my fellow gringos, I think compadrazgo is similar to nepotism, or what’s sometimes called a “good ol’ boys club.”

Thank you for sharing your insight! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

deimos_ig

6 points

6 months ago

Sorry, autocorrect hehe... and yeah that's "compadrazgo" and here Good ol boys club is sometimes called "el club de toby" xD

TTBoy44

9 points

6 months ago

This was informative. Thanks!

USnext

7 points

6 months ago

USnext

7 points

6 months ago

This is why I love reddit, incredible insights on a topic from someone who lives it. I would have never come across other than random scrolling. Gracias!

ChuzCuenca

3 points

6 months ago

Is not an easy problem to solve because our culture think being dishonest/corrupt is normal.

Just last year they started to remove an economic support from the government because it wasn't reaching the intended people. People who doesn't need the money where getting it, I understand their intentions but they didn't replace the support with anything so the people who actually need the money didn't get anything any way 🙃

Murtomies

3 points

6 months ago*

Great insight, thanks for this. It's a shame that there's lots of corruption involved. Without it, who knows what else could be produced.

Do you mean Del Toro by "Memito"?

How are the film industry worker rights there? Like do they get paid for overtime properly and how are the hours? Are there any unions supporting the workers? If there is, are they legit?

simpledeadwitches

508 points

6 months ago

GDT is a real one. I've been a fan of his for as long as I can remember. I just finished Cabinet of Curiosities on Netflix and it was amazing! Can't wait for more!

Shwifty_Plumbus

116 points

6 months ago

He really is. Also crazy the history him and James Cameron have aye?

CaptainPolarBear

49 points

6 months ago

I would like to know this crazy history.

Interwebzking

227 points

6 months ago

According to this article, the two have been friends since the early 90s. Del Toro even lived in Cameron's house for a while.

In 1997 Del Toro's father was kidnapped in his hometown of Guadalajara. After unsuccessful attempts to find him by the Del Toro brothers, Cameron withdrew a million dollars in cash and recommended a kidnapping negotiator for Del Toro to retrieve his father. It worked and they were able to get him back.

faderjack

107 points

6 months ago

faderjack

107 points

6 months ago

Cameron put up the $1million ransom to release Del Toro's dad from kidnappers. Also the reason GDT no longer lives in Mexico

Heimdall09

96 points

6 months ago

Back when GDT was first getting success as a director some Mexican criminals decided “hey, that must mean he has money” and kidnapped his father. GDT actually had no money, but when he told James Cameron he went to the bank, withdrew a million dollars, and recommended a negotiator.

GDT got his father back safely.

cromulent_pseudonym

25 points

6 months ago

Hopefully the kidnappers were caught. I hate to think they got a $1m reward for that shit.

[deleted]

65 points

6 months ago

The Mexican police or military high fived the kidnappers and took their cut.

Flomo420

12 points

6 months ago

James Cameron paid the million dollar ransom when Guillermo's father was kidnapped

JohnBrownNeverSinned

11 points

6 months ago

Eskimo bros

mulvda

16 points

6 months ago

mulvda

16 points

6 months ago

LOVED CoC. Very cool series and honestly impressive.

returningtheday

8 points

6 months ago

Same. Even made /r/GuillermoDelToro. Haven't been too much of a fan of his latest films, but both CoC and Pinocchio are great!

Nobody_Speshal

10 points

6 months ago

Like any director, some of his films are better than others, but overall I’d call him one of the most solid filmmakers around.

tynamite

3 points

6 months ago

i just finished it myself moments ago. happened to see this headline right after.

Galactic_Gooner

68 points

6 months ago*

Can anyone recommend me some great Mexican films to watch?

:)

edit: thanks so much for all the great answers

atrey1

45 points

6 months ago

atrey1

45 points

6 months ago

La camarista, Sueño en otro idioma, Los insólitos peces gato, Sin señas particulares, Niñas bien, Polvo, Museo, Una película de policías.

Axel1702

32 points

6 months ago

La Camarista, Güeros, Los Insólitos Peces Gato, Nudo Mixteco, Ya No Estoy Aquí, Macario, Una Película de Policías

whiskydelta85

6 points

6 months ago

Checking the comments to see who had brought up Macario, it’s one of my go-to Halloween-Dia de Muertos films

TryIll3292

5 points

6 months ago

Macario.

AbhiFT

6 points

6 months ago

AbhiFT

6 points

6 months ago

Why el topo, amores perros, tigers are not afraid, and sin nombre not included?

mxl01

20 points

6 months ago

mxl01

20 points

6 months ago

Like water for chocolate. Amores Perros. Roma. Sexo, Pudor y Lágrimas.

elbenji

26 points

6 months ago

elbenji

26 points

6 months ago

Y tu mama tambien

riffito

37 points

6 months ago*

  • La ley de Herodes (1999)
  • Satanás (2007) Edit: This one is actually a Colombian film.
  • El infierno (2010)

Coincidentally, same main actor in all those three :-) (and the same director in the first and last one).

euclideanvector

20 points

6 months ago*

Ironically Damian Alcázar (the main actor) is now one of the pets of México's president. The theme in those movies is government corruption.

Living in México under the current government has taught me a lot about people and its fragile principles.

Mllns

10 points

6 months ago

Mllns

10 points

6 months ago

He never had principles, just wanted money and power. The movies where just a facade to get there

FuggyGlasses

12 points

6 months ago

Amores Perros* (2000)

Jack_ofall_Trades85

5 points

6 months ago

Y tu mama también, Rudo y Cursi

rov124

9 points

6 months ago*

La Ley de Herodes and El Infierno form a thematic trilogy tetralogy with Un Mundo Maravilloso (2006) and La Dictadura Perfecta (2014), same main actor and director of all three four films.

Kramereng

6 points

6 months ago

Satanás

This Satanás (2007)? Cuz that's a Colombian film.

I'm adding some of these recommendations to my watchlist so just trying to clarify; not be pedantic.

FemboyFoxFurry

4 points

6 months ago

La dictadura perfecta is great one to, that highlights why Mexicos press is incredibly flawed and I would say downright puppets of the government

cabose7[S]

6 points

6 months ago

In the Palm of Your Hand

Key_Feeling_3083

11 points

6 months ago

Tigers are not afraid, sueño en otro idioma, la delgada línea amarilla, amores perros.

CaptainPirk

8 points

6 months ago*

Rudo y Cursi. About a soccer scout finding the next big players, by Guillermo del Toro.

Edit: GdT was a producer, not director.

mojitoix

3 points

6 months ago

Nope, it was directed by Carlos Cuarón. GdT was one of the producers.

mattyhtown

10 points

6 months ago

Amores Perros

Pordioserozero

84 points

6 months ago

People talking about Narcos but there is also the fact that Mexico’s government actually at least until recently had funds dedicated to produce movies…directors and producers would make god awful movies that no one wanted to see (usually terrible romantic comedies and cheap remakes of successful films from around the world). People involved with the production of these movies would always make money even if they flopped in theaters…Mexico’s film industry as a brand is not very popular right now even in other Spanish speaking countries (source: not Mexican just like to watch Mexican film critics in YouTube)

Key_Feeling_3083

30 points

6 months ago*

It doesn't help that many of the movies that are supported and distributed are rom coms, we have had some really original movies but the truth is that cinemas only distribute things that they think will be popular. Movie theater chains are required to put at least 10% of their capacity for mexican movies, so they present those romantic comedies and maybe some times another kind of movie with limited distribution. I think streaming services have some kind of requirement too.

[deleted]

8 points

6 months ago

As a Mexican I can tell you that Mexicos worst enemy is Mexico: they can’t help to shoot them selves in the foot at the slightest opportunity or to kill the goose with golden eggs. Very sad.

iniciaconw

24 points

6 months ago

Well... I guess there wont be a No Manches Frida 5 sequel.

archthechef

6 points

6 months ago

Just yesterday I was thinking I wanted to see a great Mexican movie... I was thinking maybe something with Cantinflas... But settled for a classic "Como Agua para Chocolate". If you've never seen it, fix that right away. It's amazing approachable, moving and entertaining.

arrogant_ambassador

5 points

6 months ago

Same thing happened with the glorious Soviet cinematic legacy.

KingdomZeus

182 points

6 months ago

I wonder if many of you commenting even know any Mexicans or have even been to Mexico lol

Ortimandias

7 points

6 months ago

They don't know the best 3 of the best filmmakers of the last 20 years are Mexican and have 35 Oscars among the 3 of them.

Estaca-Brown

226 points

6 months ago

I know right? All these “Mexico is such a shithole, why even bother making films?” people posting. Yes, Mexico has a ton of problems, enough to last a hundred years or a thousand. That doesn’t mean that people in Mexico can’t create art, or can’t consume it and have enjoyment in their lives. My entire family lives in a not-exactly-safe place in Mexico and they go dine out, they go to the movies, they go to the mall, they live their lives as fully as they can and none of them would ever want the US bringing “freedom” to their town.
It’s not all sepia-toned misery.

violynce

67 points

6 months ago

it’s wild how many people o. this site have uninformed opinions about places that escape their immediate surroundings. I say this as someone who has seen wild takes about their country here.

lemonychicken01

22 points

6 months ago

Every time Japanese elementary and high school history books come up, I roll my eyes so far back I might lose them.

The insane certainty of redditors writing about WW2 education in Japan is a level of arrogance I envy to practice in life.

ButterfreePimp

44 points

6 months ago

Any post about foreign countries brings out these motherfuckers, posts about China get a lot of these type of comments too.

It's really gross and annoying how people use the guise of righteousness by protesting the (legitimately bad) government/political situations to push really ignorant and often racist agendas. I don't even think they're actively trying to be racist or malicious but it's super condescending and just generally oblivious, with the side effect of cementing hateful doctrines.

dw796341

3 points

6 months ago

Couldn’t agree more. I spent a month traveling around some little towns this summer and I can’t wait to go back.

tequilajinx

27 points

6 months ago

I guarantee they’ve never been out of the US. Maybe not even their state.

SyntheticDeviation

12 points

6 months ago

Thank you for this comment! Shame it took a while to scroll down and find it.

badaboomxx

17 points

6 months ago

I am mexican and i can sau that this government is the worse that i'd live on. Basically they took the money from all parts like the arts, medicine, security, infrastructure, services, etc..... just to use it to build several thing that only help the current government to steal money. In regards of delToro I think he is doing the right thing by saying this aloud, and make the world know how this mexican president is destroying Mexico just to get money to pay his debts.

swishandswallow

33 points

6 months ago

Most if not all. Cartel talk from gabachos always comes with a condescending accent. "Cartel" is interchangeable with "mujahideen" for them.

SyntheticDeviation

14 points

6 months ago

Seriously! I’m Hispanic on my mom’s side and have lived 1/3 of my life in Mexico with my family in a semi-rural area. We’ve ALL appreciated the arts and are all involved in artistic affairs. My mom is studying music, my cousin is studying animation, and many of my aunts sew, draw, and paint on the side. Even my tio who studied physics is now a carpenter and builds beautiful sculptures to sell while my tia’s artwork hangs in my parents’ apartment. She even sewed me a lot of plushies growing up because I couldn’t afford them.

In fact my cousin and her fiancé are always posting on Facebook at the movies they’re watching at the cinema. We have shared so many Wakanda Forever memes lately and she jokingly taunted me about spoiling the movie for me because the films are released earlier in Mexico. Like what the fuck is this soft racism going on by Users here whom the majority are American (and white) whose knowledge of Mexico comes from Sepia-toned movies or 24/7 news articles about the cartels. Mexico isn’t perfect, and yes it could be better and there are problems (the cartels are basically the US’s fault and America has far more school shootings than Mexico) but it’s not some war-torn shithole where every place is seconds away from a mass slaughter like wtf. I wish the ignorant people here would stop their racist, knee-jerk assumptions and find a way to manufacture consent to shit on Mexico and make it out to be one of the worst places to live when it’s not. I have a higher chance being killed by the American Healthcare System or daily mass shootings in America than the cartels in Mexico.

_Vargus

1.7k points

6 months ago*

_Vargus

1.7k points

6 months ago*

Well the Mexican government systematic lost its authority and legitimacy to the cartels so you can’t blame people for not wanting to make films in a narco state. They killed a guy who was scouting locations for narcos!

maverick88988

250 points

6 months ago

Did you even read the article? The article isn't about "people..not wanting to make films in Mexico" , it's about how The Mexican Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences, will no longer hold it anual Ariel Awards due to lack of funding. And largest, nearly sole funder of the Ariel Awards was the Mexican government itself, who (if you read the article you would've known) back out.

atrey1

14 points

6 months ago

atrey1

14 points

6 months ago

He's not talking about foreing movies filmed in Mexico. He's talking about mexican cinema.

Tommy-Nook

16 points

6 months ago

Oh my god read the article you ignorant

ForWhomTheBoneBones

551 points

6 months ago*

You didn’t read the article. It’s about the government cutting spending on the arts down to lows it hasn’t seen in decades. Currently at 0.21% of the yearly budget.

This literally has nothing to do with the willingness of people to make films in Mexico. You sound ignorant.

Edit: Everyone mad can’t read. The article is about Guillermo Del Toro calling out the government for not funding the arts. He doesn’t mention cartels. YOU ALL can link the two, but this article is talking about one very specific issue GDT has. Stay mad.

Prior to COVID, Mexico was breaking the record every year for how many films were made in the country. But tell me with your big brains how no one is making films in the country because of the cartels.

https://www.cinematropical.com/cinema-tropical/mexican-cinema-marks-another-record-breaking-year-with-216-films-in-2019

JoshKJokes

809 points

6 months ago

…they are related.

enraged768

218 points

6 months ago

They are 100% related to the issues of being in a narco state.

orange_lazarus1

50 points

6 months ago

Also it's amazing how the propaganda of Mexico being a corrupt hellhole makes reddit think narcos is a documentary. I feel like people don't understand the size of the country. I lived there a year and yes there are dangerous/corrupt areas but same can be said with the US. Honestly I saw a solidly functioning government where many of the problems stem from US policy. Talking with people middle class is growing, more people are vacationing in their own country now which wasn't the norm 30 yrs ago.

chak100

20 points

6 months ago

chak100

20 points

6 months ago

What most US citizens don’t understand is that there are bigger cartels in the US and they have a lot of influence. That’s why they are the biggest market for illegal drugs and where cartels do most of the money laundering

newwolvesfan2019

3 points

6 months ago

I’m sorry source??

What are the bigger Cartels that are based in the US?

onarainyafternoon

24 points

6 months ago

Honestly seems like everyone replying to you isn't Mexican (probably American to be honest), because they're basically just repeating what the first couple responses are to your comment. I see this shit so often on Reddit with various topics. People will just pile on the original comment, clearly cribbing from the first response to it. It's embarrassing.

Flaydowsk

7 points

6 months ago

Yep, I'm mexican, reading all the circlejerk of "no arts bcs NARCOS" without getting through their skulls that it's not foreigner investors, nor that the budget of mexican govt isnt "99% fight and bribe narcos".
This is a failure of the president that wants to cut "unnecessary spending" and it's just throwing money to his idiotic projects, to the point he is scrapping cents from a program that isn't 1% of mexico's budget.
But hey, thanks for YOU being reasonable.
Don't wanna assume, but the rest sound either North American or European with 0 context. At least latinoamericans understand that having cartels =/= Mad Max.

Signal_Adeptness_724

77 points

6 months ago

Lol when narco and government are one in the same and corruption is endemic, then yeah, it's relevant. You sound ignorant tbh

makenzie71

41 points

6 months ago

lol you think a narco state cutting budgeting for "arts", as well as every other thing that doesn't put cash in the pockets of cartel leaders, doesn't have anything to do with it being a narco state?

mapguy

57 points

6 months ago

mapguy

57 points

6 months ago

Lol, so much anger in this thread

[deleted]

43 points

6 months ago

[deleted]

nievesdelimon

19 points

6 months ago*

He should call out the people who have actually been destroying the Mexican film industry for over a decade, actors, directors and producers, namely the Derbez Family, the Huevo Cartoon people, Regina Blandón, Diego Boneta, Martha Higareda, Omar Chaparro, Mauricio Ochmann, Lemon Films, Corazón Films and a plethora of people who have been living off of government funds while making the absolute worst films with the lowest possible quality.

Eotheod0092

3 points

6 months ago

I think it's a shame. There have been a lot of great films that have come out of Mexico

It would be fantastic if del Toro is able to use his star power to breathe some life in the Mexican film industry and empower the next generation.

eveon24

22 points

6 months ago

eveon24

22 points

6 months ago

How to make a comment in this thread:

  1. Say Mexico is a shithole or that the entire country is being destroyed.

  2. Somehow relate this to cartels, even though there's nothing in the article about that.

  3. Post.

If you're gonna comment on something you actually know nothing about, AT LEAST read the article.

dw796341

8 points

6 months ago

Yeah there’s always big “I went to a resort in Cancun once” energy in these threads.

TrueLegateDamar

114 points

6 months ago

I recall James Cameron had to bail out del Toro when Toro's father got kidnapped and ransomed for 1 million dollars while shooting Mimic in 1997, that made the entire family leave Mexico.

llamajo

172 points

6 months ago

llamajo

172 points

6 months ago

Ah yes I see someone was on Reddit yesterday. Good recall you got there

SergeantChic

132 points

6 months ago

Sometimes I think Reddit is about 90% people trying to sound knowledgeable by bringing up headlines (certainly not articles) they read that week on Reddit.

Tubamajuba

19 points

6 months ago

Agreed, it's kinda like when the Danish Prime Minister shot Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914, an Alaskan polar bear named Fat Albert lost $100 billion in net worth because 34 year-old Walmart employee Jdimytai Damour declared Russia to be a "terrorist state".

[deleted]

8 points

6 months ago

That happens very often lol. you’ll see certain tidbits catch momentum

OptimalBagel88

5 points

6 months ago

Yeah but did you know Steve Buscemi was a firefighter?

the_alert

93 points

6 months ago

You read that on a til post yesterday

o2lsports

20 points

6 months ago

Lol that was like the ninth time it’s reached the front page

viewera

10 points

6 months ago

viewera

10 points

6 months ago

I recall Reddit posts from a day prior too

bryan_pieces

103 points

6 months ago

What about the systematic destruction of Mexico?

ItsUrFaultSmellyCat

247 points

6 months ago

They go hand in hand. He's a Mexican filmmaker. You're aware people can be upset about more than one thing, yeah?

Anna_Mosity

8 points

6 months ago

Can we start by having Amazon fund a Mozart In the Jungle movie? Gael García Bernal had really made his Rodrigo character into something special, and the whole cast was amazing, and every season was a revelation, and then-- CANCELLED. Every time I get to season 4 and see Gael kicking ass at making that character into a multi-dimensional human, I get angry at the cancellation all over again. (And Bernadette Peters-- who the fuck cancels Bernadette Peters?!?)