[Entrevista] Amat Escalante, only Mexican in Cannes 2023 with ‘Lost at night’

By Daniela Creamer, from Cannes

Mexican filmmaker Amat Escalante broadens his horizons with Lost in the night the film that was shown -out of competition- in Cannes.

His story of justice, revenge and social class, with an international cast, hopes to go even further than his previous titles. The newspaper EL UNIVERSO spoke exclusively with him.

This is the return of the prodigal son to Cannes after his previous film premiered in Venice. How does it feel?

I like it very much. Here I was with my first movie Heli, ten years ago, and Tierry Fremaux continues to bet on me. In addition, the reception of the film has been very warm. I am delighted to participate in such a wonderful platform as Cannes.

Why did you choose to work with professional actors now, as opposed to your previous works?

The characters in my story were just that, people related to fame, social networks and the world of art. That’s why I chose Barbara Morris. She has a lot of experience in soap operas, she’s a movie actress and she knew what the world they were talking about was like. ester foundling He has a lot of followers on the internet, he knows how to use the networks to entertain, show his life, his image, which is an art. fernando bonilla He also comes from a show business family. Daniel Garcia He brings a lot of his artistic experience to the table, which is reflected very well in his face. I felt comfortable with this to pour. Additionally I was interested in reaching new audiences, opening new windows and surprising people. I think this movie has more potential with these very familiar faces.

His films, like this one, are controversial. Are they true stories?

I am inspired by the current situation in Mexico, in the situations experienced by the topics I address, the enforced disappearances that are very common, especially in Guanajuato, where I live. It’s a mining town, so I grew up surrounded by mines, from that idea of ​​profiting from the land, not as agriculture, but as really big companies with machines that come and get things and then sell them elsewhere and become a millionaire. That’s what I wanted to portray with the mine and with this eccentric family that we see in the story.

Violence in Mexico is a recurring reality in your films. What are your motivations for showing it?

I live in Guanajuato. Ten years ago, when I filmed Hello, it wasn’t like it is now. There was not the level of crime and violence that exists today very close to where I live. That is very present in my life. It’s hard to imagine not talking about these things that are so important and affect so many people. Their drama inspires me. It is a tragedy that I live very close.

Can “Lost at Night” be a mirror of everything that is happening in almost all of Latin America?

Certainly. It is the reflection of the whole world. Not this specific situation, but everywhere there is a lot of social inequality and injustice. Therefore, I have to focus on what I saw and it seems more familiar to me. My movies are even set in Guanajuato, my state, because I feel closer to these issues. For me, Mexico is very inspiring and beautiful, although it is also very contradictory.

Do you see a halo of hope at the end of the tunnel?

Naturally. That’s why I keep making films that try to give young people hope in the future.-

Not long ago, she signed with a major Hollywood agency, CAA. Are you considering working for Hollywood, as other famous Mexican filmmakers have done?

Maybe I’m opening up the possibilities, because I’ve wanted to do something more international for a number of years. But it has to be something I’m passionate about, which is the hardest part. By joining this company, I’m exposing myself to more scripts and more actors so I can bring more projects to life. It’s a great opportunity.

How do you see the current moment of Mexican cinema and the evolution of government support?

I don’t know exactly what mechanisms there are, but I think it’s always good to keep innovating. A lot of Mexican cinema is being made. Some are not so good, there is another that is of better quality, by the hand of a new generation of filmmakers such as Michel Franco, Carlos Reygadas, Lila Avilés… who want to expose themselves to the world and give a lot of hope to our cinema.

You filmed several episodes of “Narcos: Mexico”. How was the experience and what is your position on the platforms?

It’s been a great experience working with different types of actors and a lot of this film comes from that experience. I was drawn to the theme of fame, which I tried to tackle here. And from Narcos I took a lot of actors. The platforms are evolving enormously, which is why they have been able to reach so many homes, radically and abruptly changing the medium. But the cinema itself is not so easy to change, as we see here in Cannes. I really appreciate watching movies in a room where I can concentrate. Definitely, the experience of going to the movies doesn’t die…