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The Motorcylce Diaries (2004)
Starring
Gale Garcia Bernal
Genre
Drama, Biography
Distributor:
Focus Features
Official Website:
www.motorcyclediaries.net
Source: IMDB
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(Continued from Page One)
Last night at the screening, a woman in the audience asked you about the rewards of making money with films in Latin America and you said that "in Latin America, you don't do things for the money because there is no money..." You're also probably one of the most bankable stars today in Latin American cinema. What are some of the obstacles you face in making films in Latin America?
(Making cash register sounds) Cha-ching! It's funny. I don't know. The question she asked was, 'Well, apart from the money, why do you make films?' (laughs). It was like, 'What?' (laughs). I was completely surprised because she really didn't know! It's like, 'Apart from the money? No. Just that. It's the only reason why!'
Yeah, doing films in Latin America is like an act of faith. I mean, you really have to believe in what you're doing because if not, you feel like it's a waste of time because you might as well be doing something that at least pays you the rent. It is an act of faith; an act of love, perhaps; an act of trying to tell a story. Therefore, when you get involved in the production it's incredibly stimulating and positive, and you feel a sense of belonging from whatever position you're working in that film, from the driver to the cameraman. Everyone feels a sense of ownership and co-authorship in the piece. Everyone participates. There’s a strong work ethic, which is great. At the same time, even though it's a passion, they are bankable sometimes and they make money. Still, it hasn't generated an inertia that makes an industry.
You're finally making an American film, "The King," which comes out next year. Is there a difference working on a film that has a more substantial budget?
It's a $1.5 million budget, which is nothing. "Amores Perros" cost $1.3 million or so. The thing is that here you get less for that money. The experience was the same—nobody was there because of the money. It was nice. It was the first time I had a place to change my clothes - the first time I had a trailer. It was really comfortable.
You've worked with some outstanding directors: Cuaron, Innaritu, Amoldovar. What was it like working with Walter Salles?
Well, Walter Salles is the most beautiful person in the world. He did a wonderful job of working with people from all over Latin America – it was like the Tower of Babel. All of that work, though, was undone on Saturdays, when we would play football. It would be like Brazil versus Mexico versus Argentina, the differences in the nations really popped up then.
Many of your roles have focused on a negative view of the church and religion. Do you choose those roles specifically because they're anti-religion?
You know, Religion is such a part of our lives complexity. Like sexuality, emotions, relationships. I have had roles that challenge the church, but I hardly choose roles based on whether or not they have certain religious implications.
I thought one of the key scenes in the film was the work Che did in the leper colony, which actual also had some anti-religious undertones. I'd actually never seen lepers before. What was that like?
It was an amazing experience working with them. 85% of the people suffering leprosy in the film were actual lepers. Some of them actually lived there when Che and Alberto Granada walked into the colony. The thing about them was that if you gave them a little bit of attention, they gave you a ton of gratitude. They are people that don't get touched. It changed my life to work with them and to be with them.
One of the pivotal moments in the film was when Guevara swims across the raging river on his birthday. Talk a little bit about that scene...
It was three nights of swimming. Three nights of swimming in the Amazon, in the night, in the river. It was really intense. It's the moment in the film — in the journey — when the character decides to be on one side of the river, to celebrate the other side, to be with those people. And that's where he should live. And I think those moments in life come to everyone like that.
Whenever choices are put forward to you, you have to decide, and one thing leads to a certain life and the other leads to a certain life. And you have a certain preference to one or the other. In this case one was about living well and being a successful doctor, and the other was about living where he should live; where his duty is.
You know, "Motorcycle Diaries" has no incredible stories, no sudden plot twists, it doesn't play that way. It's about recognizing that instance of change and embracing it.
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Written by Richard Sharp
[1] [2]
008: Gael Garcia Bernal
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