As part of the Denver Film Society’s CineLatino mini film festival, writer/director Jonas Cuaron stopped by for a visit and to chat about his latest movie, Desierto (which is now Mexico’s official entry for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar) and the thriving film scene in Mexico.
How did the idea for Desierto come together?
What does Jonas hope audiences will walk away with after seeing Desierto?
Jonas describes the writing process involved in crafting Desierto and Gravity, considering the visual component their settings provide.
In 2014, Jonas’ father, Alfonso, became the first Mexican filmmaker to be honored with the Best Director Oscar (for Gravity). Alejandro Innaritu then went on to receive back-to-back honors for Birdman (2015) and The Revenant (2016). With all that attention, what’s the film scene and community like in Mexico these days?
What advice do you have for aspiring filmmakers? And what’s it like working with your dad?