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Press Conference for Birdman at the 12th FICM

The opening film of the 12th edition of FICM will be the extraordinary Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014) by Alejandro González Iñárritu. The film was presented at a press screening at the Cinépolis Centro Morelia and later the director gave a talk at the University Cultural Center.

González Iñárritu is one of the most distinguished figures in world cinema, having elevated Mexico’s status with works such as Amores Perros (2000), Babel (2006) and Biutiful (2010). The filmmaker has not only excelled as a director, but he has participated in different areas of the film industry – and this time he delights us with a film that reflects on the industry. In a twist from the rest of his filmography, González Iñárritu has made a comedy for the first time. Through black humor he displays an artistic search, an honest look at his productive years, which he explores through two main characters played by Michael Keaton and Edward Norton. In a masterful performance by these two actors, the director explores the ego from two angles, in the figure of an actor in his fifties who enjoyed former popularity and a young actor who he has to direct.

In Birdman the camera work stands out: the director expands his search for honesty from the technical point of view. Therefore, González Iñárritu uses long takes and few cuts in his sequences. This requires rehearsals and very demanding preparation for the work on the part of the actor, as well as various challenges for the photography director, impeccably achieved by master cameraman Emmanuel Lubezki.

Birdman inevitably leads us to the association of other characters-bird, such as Ícaro, who in an arrogant attempt, elevates himself to the sun with disastrous results. However, our director soars dramatically with an intimate, round film essay.  Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) was the opening film at the Venice International Film Festival 2014 and the selection for the closing film at the New York Film Festival and has received much praise from specialized critics as well as the international audience.

The press conference for Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) at the 12th FICM was attended by the director, accompanied by Alejandro Ramírez Magaña, president of FICM and Daniela Michel, general director of FICM. At the press conference, the director said:

González Iñárritu about the theme of identity in Birdman:

“We live in a time when we have empowered others to tell us who we are. I think this theme has always been present in all human beings – celebrities, artists, public figures. But now, in an era of social networks, there is such a need for approval, from children, from my children, from the entire world. You don’t need to be a public person. There is a competition  forapproval from this anonymity that tells you you’re intelligent, you’re famous, and you’re popular. There is almost a popularity disease that now infects the whole society. It is not a mix that belongs to the actor, the actor is a symbol.”

González Iñárritu on his search in the film process:

“Finding the movement and fluidity so that everything starts having a dramatic sense and an internal rhythm and that’s very difficult. Usually when you write a script I want to get to the scenes late and leave very early to catch a moment.”

González Iñárritu Emmanuel Luzbezki’s work:

“In our generation, “Chivo” is the most talented of all of us, he’s a genius. I’ve known him for 20 years and I have worked with him on commercials in Mexico ever since we lived here. I have done many productions with him but never a film. I made a very short film with him with one film sequence that lasted four minutes for Cannes on its 70^th anniversary. And I think in this film, his work was essential because he has a deeply rooted command of the language that he has developed a great deal with Alfonso Cuarón.”

González Iñárritu on the rich contribution of Michael Keaton: 

“Michael Keaton is one of the few actors who can navigate between drama and comedy. There is a question of a real objective that he adds by having him be the character in real life. In the same way that Edward Norton is known to be a difficult actor, he is a theatrical actor.”

Birdman o (The Unexpected Virture of Ignorance) will be presented tonight at the opening ceremony of the 12th FICM, after the red carpet at the Cinépolis Escala Morelia (before Plaza Morelia).

Covered by Fabiola Aguilar Díaz (@panoramafunky)