Strengthening the ties between Mexican filmmakers and the Hollywood film industry

Recently, the cities of Mexico and Guadalajara, Jalisco, were visited by a delegation of 20 filmmakers and audiovisual content producers from Hollywood. The purpose of the trip was clear and precise: to position Mexico as a cinematographic hub, reported Mauricio Durán.

The president of the National Chamber of the Cinematographic Industry said that this Fam Trip took place a couple of weeks ago and that during the tour film facilities were shown and economic topics were addressed.

The trip is the main achievement of the project called “Mexico & Hollywood - Made for the Big Screen,” which was agreed upon in 2024  and which aims to strengthen the relationship between both entities.

A year ago, the Mexican Foreign Ministry promoted this collaboration agreement in order to showcase the technical advantages and locations that Mexico has, in addition to seeking to provide tax incentives to film producers from the United States.

Regarding the incentives, Mauricio Durán mentioned that lobbying is being done with the Mexican government for a type of incentive that attracts production. For now, some states like Jalisco already have support, and this year, four more entities will be added to the list.

For Hollywood, Mexico City represents a great film attraction, as it has all the capabilities of a metropolis, he added, but American producers are also attracted to states like Durango and Jalisco.

During the Fam Trip, a visit was made to the famed Churubusco Studios, an extensive complex in Mexico City that has been in operation since 1945 and was one of the first in Latin America. 

Back to the Golden Age 

The film relationship between Mexico and the United States dates back to World War II. In those years, the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema was consolidated due to the lack of American material. 

The war conflict led to Mexico becoming the commercial center of cinema, giving rise to iconic figures such as María Félix, Pedro Infante, Dolores del Rio and Emilio Fernández. 

At that time, Mexico was thriving, and the United States had stopped its film production, explained Mauricio Durán. After that, the history of Mexican cinema has been one of ups and downs, bringing us to the present day, with established talents such as directors Guillermo del Toro, Alfonso Cuarón, and Alejandro Iñárritu.

Twenty years ago, Hollywood was surprised by the presence of this so-called Three Amigos, this trio of Mexican directors who have now become established stars.

Breaking the stigma

Even with the talent that has been exported to Hollywood, there is still a stigma about Mexico. Even the large film industry designated a yellow filter to visually represent the country, as seen in the movies “Traffic” or “Sicario”. Likewise, Mexican actors are typecast with roles of Latino drug traffickers, maids, hookers or other stereotypes.

For Durán, the best way to remove that stigma is for producers to get to know Mexico, and to that end, CANACINE will act as a link between both parties.

Ruben García, founder and CEO of Mosaico, agreed on the importance of Hollywood’s understanding of Mexico and delving into its culture, beyond what could just be a film hub.

Mosaico is an agency focused on culture and impact aimed at Latinos, seeking to create community and intellectual leadership, as well as promoting more authentic narratives in media and entertainment.

Hollywood people need to visit Mexico, Rubén asserted, only then will they be able to change the narrative and realize that there are countless stories and great talent interested in working in Hollywood.

Rubén was part of the delegation that attended the Fam Trip, which he described as incredible: "I have done many delegations before, but this time a lot of effort and energy were put into it. We achieved something tangible and business-oriented, which was the difficult part; that also made it different from other trips."

He added: "In Mexico, there is a culture of collaboration, which was evident this time with the projects that were brought to the table for joint work. There is a real energy from people looking for a partnership."

He said that it is necessary to hold another film trip, since Mexico has natural settings that need to be showcased and can be taken advantage of.

Solidarity with migrants

To celebrate "Mexico & Hollywood - Made for the Big Screen" in its first year of work, a ceremony was held this past Wednesday at the Official Residence of Mexico in this city.

As host, the Consul General of Mexico in Los Angeles, Carlos González Gutiérrez, stated that as part of the activities of the delegation, an inter-institutional meeting was held in Mexico with several federal ministries, including the Ministries of the Interior, Finance, Security, Economy, Culture and Tourism, in order to support the project. 

All this is happening at a time when the bilateral relationship between Mexico and the United States is experiencing heightened moments regarding migration and security. During his speech, however, the Consul General took the opportunity to highlight the pluralism and diversity that exist in the city of Los Angeles. 

He pointed out that the Mexican community is hegemonic and extended full support from the Consulate to those affected by the raids.

He said that a group of Mexican artists have also shown solidarity with their countrymen, including celebrities lending their voices to record public service announcements providing useful information to immigrants.

Among the artists who collaborated with the consulate are Damian Bichir, Guillermo del Toro and Sergio Arau, and there are others whose names will be revealed at a later date. 

Regarding the monologue that actor Diego Luna gave a few days ago when he served as guest host on “Jimmy Kimmel Live”, he expressed pride for being a voice for immigrants, expressing his commitment to his fellow Mexican nationals: "People are being detained after having put down roots in this country, after having lived and had children here. The people who have strength are the ones who need to speak," he said.