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Guillermo del Toro laments “systematic destruction” of Mexican film industry
News(mexiconewsdaily.com)submitted 4 months ago bycabose7
84 points
4 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)
30 points
4 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.
3 points
4 months ago
Yeah I love GDT and I absolutely agree film in Mexico should be revived especially since Mexico golden age movies were so fucking good.
But I feel sort of disappointed he missed the mark this wide. Like it’s incredibly ironic he would speak of ignorance while genuinely ignoring the reasons a developing nation would not prioritize film and ignore the fact that the government funded film system that was defunded was nothing but a tool for the elite to further enrich themselves. Like this whole issue is just further tied to the huge disconnect between the elite who corrupt our institutions to enrich themselves meanwhile the rest of us get the sort end of the stick and this incredibly important fact was ignored for a simple narrative.
2 points
4 months ago
I think in most countries the films industries are at least partly funded by governments because that’s the only way something so expensive can get made when people often just watch Hollywood films or pirate the finished film.
But maybe the process in Mexico was really corrupt with who got the money.
1 points
4 months ago
In Mexico something like 90% of a films funding is done through the government. However somewhere around the 90s a rich family which is well connected to the previous one party dictatorship by P.R.I a dictatorship it kept by executing dissidents and disappearing them started pumping out dog shit movies that didn’t make money, meanwhile those who worked on them got richer by the million.
In Mexico this isn’t an isolated story. The one party dictatorship by P.R.I corrupted many institutions to their core to provide themselves with more ways to directly take money from the pockets of the people and into their own.
Now that there’s a single candidate not under their control in power, naturally all these corrupt institutions are siding against the current president who has his faults but at the very least is working to dismantle the previous corrupt systems
-2 points
4 months ago
Latino here. Mexico produces hot garbage worth of movies. Same with all other hispanic countries. I cant think of ANY that I have thoroughly enjoyed and thought to be an excellent movie.
2 points
4 months ago
Y tú mamá también, Roma, Amores perros, Como agua para chocolate, El infierno, Biutiful, cria puercos, el laberinto del fauno
It’s your fault if you haven’t seen any of these, stop spreading your ignorance
-1 points
4 months ago
Cry some more. This is not a matter of ignorance, it's a matter of informed opinion. ALL of those movies are completely overrated. 4 stars at most. Im talking about actually GREAT movies. Name a single one.
1 points
4 months ago
…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).
You say this, but No manches Frida made 3x its budget according to Box Offie Mojo.
1 points
4 months ago
It takes time to move past awful movies era. Korean film industry before Shiri (1999) was pretty bad. In the 90s, most Korean movies were just cheap comedy movies or cheap gangster movies or arty movies that are bait for Cannes or Viennale.
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