Cinema of Mexico

History of Country:

Mexico, before the conquest of Spain in the early 15th century, was home to several

ancient civilization such as the Mayan, Aztecs, and Olmec. Pre- Columbian civilizations were

large in numbers and created massive cities, like Tenochtitlan which was bigger than London

with sky high pyramids (Foster, 1). However, by the 15th century Hernan Cortes arrived to

Mexico and began his conquest and conquered Tenochtitlan. Afterwards, Mexico was under

Spains power until they rebelled in the 18th century and became the Mexican Empire. The

empire was short lived when their central American provinces seceded and became their own

countries. Mexico would later go on to have several wars and revolutions, such as the Mexican
Revolution to end the dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz and also having a war against drugs in

modern day Mexico (Mexico profile- Timeline, 1)

Capital: Mexico City

Area (Size): 758,400 mi^2

Population (year reported): 130,222,815

Religions- Roman Catholic 82.7%, Pentecostal 1.6%, Jehovahs Witness 1.4%, other Evangelical

Churches 5%, other 1.9%, none 4.7%, unspecified 2.7%

Ethnic Groups- Include percentages: Mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 62%, predominantly

Amerindian 21%, Amerindian 7%, other 10% (mainly European)

Unemployment: 4.5% (2015)

Poverty and Wealth: 10% of Mexicans are wealthy. Middle class is 30%. The rest is 60% poor.

Money is unevenly distributed.

GDP- per capita, and USA equivalent: $17,500

Economy- Summary

In Mexico, the currency they use is the peso, and they are placed as the second largest

economy in Latin America and ranked fifteen over all in the world. They get their biggest income

from trade, especially with the United States. However, the economy slowed down in 2016 due

to an uncertain relationship with America. Also, with Donald Trump winning the election their

currency dropped and lost 20% of its value. There has been plans to renegotiate and results will

happen down the line.

Industries: Food and beverage, iron and steel, motor vehicles, tourism, tobacco, textiles,

clothing, petroleum, mining, consumer durables, chemicals.

Key Social Forces and Events which impacted the country: Mexican Revolution and the war

on drugs.

National Disasters, Diseases which impacted the country: Food or waterborne disease, which

happens when eating or drinking from the local economy. It causes diarrhea and hepatitis A.

Other diseases would be Hepatitis A, Hepatitis E, and Typhoid Fever.

Film Industry Overview and History- detailed paragraph, inclu. Notable centers and cities

of film production.

Although Mexico has a strong film industry, it is weak compared to Hollywood. They

have all the talent and resources, however making film is a complicated process. In Mexico, film

distributors and exhibitors do not release their films because they believe international films do

not sell as well as Hollywood. Although, Mexico is given funds to create films when needed they

cannot distribute and only one hundred films are made in Mexico, with only a few being

released.

Mexico, however, did have a golden age of cinema and it became their largest industry

after oil. It happened during the Second World War during the 1940s because the United States

was not a threat during the time. The way to success was distribution, which is now lacking in

their current industry.

The biggest help for Mexican movie makers have been to move to Hollywood. Directors

like Guillermo del Torro, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, and Alfonso Cuaron have become well

known in the film making industry. The most noticeable city for film production is Mexico City
Important Genres and Conventions in films from this country:

Mexican film making introduced the genre comedia ranchera, which a cowboy musical

that includes, comedy, popular music, tragedy, folkloric or nationalistic themes. They also used

other genres such as family melodrama, comedies, historical epics, and urban melodrama.

Notable Films (3)- Summary and photo for each film. Include: Title, year, important

awards, director. Paragraph summary should mention important facts (incl. such things as

screenwriters, soundtrack, actors, plot)

Title: Pans Labyrinth

Year: 2006
Important Awards: Winner of three Oscars, Best Achievement in Cinematography, Best

Achievement in Art Direction, Best Achievement in Makeup. Won three BAFTAs in Best film

not in the English Language, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hair.

Director: Guillermo Del Toro

Summary:

The film is told like a fairy tale but has the back drop of political discourse. The story

deals with the forces of good and a childs innocence and the forces of evil due to the

authoritarian rule. It mixes fascism with a fairy tale which makes the audience wonder what the

truth is. The films heroine is Ofelia, played by Ivana Baquero, who longs for fairytales to be real

gets her wish granted by finding the mystical enchanted netherworld. She discovers she is the

long last princess and must undergo multiple trial to return to her world, however this world may

only exist in her mind. Outside the fairy tale world her life is ruled by her step father, Captain

Vidal, played by Sergi Lopez, who is aggressive and only care about inflicting pain. The two

worlds blend together and leaving the audience to wonder which is world is the fairytale.
Title: Biutiful

Year: 2010

Important Awards: Nominated for two Oscars, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role,

and Best Foreign Language Film of the Year.

Director: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Summary:

Alejandro Gonzalez film Biutiful is about Uxbal, played by Javier Bardem, who is a

single father with terminal prostate cancer. His life is unstable and tragic but he finds love within

his life. Bardem does an amazing performance by showing the desperation to care for his two

children, who have only him in their lives. The two children do have a mother named Marambra,

played by Maricel Alvarez, who is unable to help them due to her bipolar disorder and her use of

medications and previous fidelity. Alvarez does a wonderful job of compelling the audience to

believe she is better, however Bardems performance helps us see that she is untrustworthy and

only cares for herself.

Title: Gravity

Year: 2013

Important Awards: Winner of seven Oscars, Best Achievement in Cinematography, Best

Achievement in Directing (making Cuaron the first Hispanic to ever win the award), Best

Achievement in Film Editing, Best Achievement in Film Editing, Best Achievement in Music

Written for Motion Pictures- Original Score, Best Achievement in Sound Editing, Best

Achievement in Sound Editing, Best Achievement in Sound Mixing, Best Achievement in Visual

Effects, Best Motion Picture of the Year.

Director: Alfonso Cuaron

Summary:

The strength in this film is Alfonso Cuarons ability to tell a different kind of outer space

story. Instead of explaining where we have been it questions where we havent seen. Cuaron
brings freshness to the film by using digital and analog to the film. Instead of telling the normal

overdone space story, he makes it about survival in an unknown place. The focus is the best ways

to survive when your low on resources and making it home safety. The film makes use of 3-D so

the audience can truly experience being in space and being lost with Sandra Bullock and George

Clooney.

Notable Actors (3): Summary and photo for each actor

Actor: Diego Luna

Summary:

Born on December 29, 1979.

Birthplace was Mexico City, Mexico.
Appeared in the Rogue One, Book of Life, Milk, and The Terminal.
His first acting role was for a telenovela called El Abuela y Yo which aired in 1992.
Founded Canana Productions with Gael Garcia Bernal.
Actor: Salma Hayek

Summary:

Born on September 2, 1966.

Birthplace was Coatzacoalos, Mexico
Best known performance was in the 2002 film, Frida.
She majored in International Relations in Mexico City at the Universidad

Iberoamericana.

Actor: Gael Garcia Bernal

Summary:
 Born on November 30, 1978.
Birthplace was Guadalajara, Mexico.
Is an actor, but also directs. Was given the Excellence in Acting award in the

Provincetown Internal Film Festival.

Was in the film Bable and played the role of Santiago, he was later nominated for seven

awards.

References

Awards. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0457430/awards?ref_=tt_awd

Awards. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1454468/awards?ref_=tt_awd

Awards. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1164999/awards\

Foster, L. V. (2009). A brief history of Mexico. Infobase Publishing.

Learn about Diego Luna. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/diego-

luna.html

Learn about Gael Garcia Bernal. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/gael-bernal.html

Learn about Salma Hayek. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/salma-hayek.html

Mexico. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.indexmundi.com/mexico/#Economy

Mexico. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.filmreference.com/encyclopedia/Independent-Film-

Road-Movies/Mexico-SOUND-AND-THE-GOLDEN-AGEOF-MEXICAN-CINEMA.html

Mexico: Economic and political outline. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://en.portal.santandertrade.com/analyse-markets/mexico/economic-political-outline

Mexico Major infectious diseases. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.indexmundi.com/mexico/major_infectious_diseases.html

Mexico - Poverty and wealth. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Americas/Mexico-POVERTY-AND-

WEALTH.html
Mexico profile - Timeline. (2017, January 25). Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-

latin-america-19828041

Pols, M. (2010, December 21). : Overdosing on the Tragic Human Condition. Retrieved from

http://content.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,2039421,00.html

Scott, A. O. (2013, October 03). 'Gravity' Stars George Clooney and Sandra Bullock. Retrieved

from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/04/movies/gravity-stars-sandra-bullock-and-george-

clooney.html

Scott, A. O. (2006, December 28). In Gloom of War, a Child's Paradise. Retrieved from

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/29/movies/29laby.html

The film industry in Mexico - Mexico News Network. (n.d.). Retrieved May 08, 2017, from

http://www.mexiconewsnetwork.com/lifestyle/film-industry-mex/

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Name: _________Melanie Flores_____________________________ Date: ________5- 9-

17____________________