Stellar names feted at Guadalajara film festival

GUADALAJARA - Mexican actor and producer Gael Garcia Bernal accepted a special award at this year’s Guadalajara International Film Festival.

Mexican actor and producer Gael Garcia Bernal received the Guadalajara Prize at the festival.

Along with fellow actor Diego Luna, Garcia is the executive producer of Cananea Films, a company that aims to bolster Latin American production and support new filmmakers.

Speaking at a gala showing of “Solo Quiero Caminar,” Garcia said his original aim in life was to act on stage and travel the world, and that getting into films was “just an accident.”

Garcia’s first feature-length movie, “Amores Perros” directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu, catapulted him on to the international stage. He followed with hits such as “Y Tu Mama Tambien” by Alfonso Cuaron, “El Crimen del Padre Amaro” by Carlos Carrera, “Motorcycle Diaries” by Walter Salles, “Babel” by Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu and “Mala Educacion” by Pedro Almodovar.

Garcia dedicated his award to his grandmother, whom he said, “helped me question everything.”

Garcia was born in Guadalajara and studied acting at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London, England.

Meanwhile, Mexico-City-born Guillermo Arriaga admitted being apprehensive before the showing of “The Burning Plain,” his directorial debut, at this year’s festival.

Guillermo Arriaga showed The Burning Plain, his directorial debut, at this years festival.

“The Guadalajara public is complicated,” he said. “For me, they are one of the most demanding in the world.”

Arriaga is famed for his work as the screenwriter of Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu’s critically acclaimed films – “Babel,” “21 Grams” and “Amores Perros.”

“The first rule I made as a director was to ban people saying that it was my film,” Arriaga told reporters. “This is the work of all the team that participated on the film.”

“The Burning Plain” has already enjoyed festival success and features an A-list cast, including Kim Bassinger, Charlize Theron and Jose Maria Yazpik.

“The film tells the fragmented story of the four different love stories that come together through the elements of fire, water, earth and air,” he said. “I prefer to write non-sequential films.”

“The Burning Plain” will be in cinemas in Mexico in the fall.