10 · 18 · 14

Press Screening of El comienzo del tiempo by Bernardo Arellano

El comienzo del tiempo / The Beginning of Time (2014) by Bernardo Arellano, from the Mexican Feature Film Section in competition at the 12th FICM, was presented to the press at the Cinépolis Morelia Centro.

With this film, the director is searching once again to morally confront the viewer, now with a film that portrays the problem of old age in the midst of the country’s social and economic crisis. Bernardo Arellano said in an interview that while his films are risky for the market, he relies on the existence of a public that is sensitive to the issues that he raises, and that although cinema as art is not very profitable financially, it can transcend time.

His previous film, Entre el día y la noche (2011), which was his debut, was well received at several international film festivals, such as the Latin American Film Festival, Catalonia (Best Screenplay), the Amiens International Film Festival (SIGNIS Award), the San Sebastián International Film Festival (Film in Progress Award) and the Guanajuato International Film Festival (Best Mexican First Film Feature Award). In addition, Bernardo Arellano has a history at FICM, since in 2008, he won the Best Documentary Short Film Award with Zoococho (2008).

Bernardo Arellano, photography director Sara Purgatorio, actress Bertha Olivia Ramírez Misstilipiss, producer April Shanon, production designer Carolina Espinosa, as well as musician Darío Arellano, attended the press screening of El comienzo del tiempo. Following are comments from the press conference:

Bernardo Arellano on the succession of generations:

“The film basically came about because I’m obsessed with the cycles of life, this moment of succession between generations. I’m very interested in this life scheme. I wanted to talk about this and my perception of today’s youth, old age and obviously there are also certain political conditions, since there is a social moment that is very clear there. Even so, I didn’t want it to be a melodrama, for that reason the comedy, the acid humor.”

Bernardo Arellano on the use of non-professional actors:

“It’s a basic issue for me – when there is a character, there is an actor. We all have the capacity to act, that is, we all have it to a greater or lesser extent. I like working with non-professional actors, I like them to move intuitively and that they talk and be themselves too.”

Bertha Olivia Ramírez Misstilipiss on her experience as a non-professional actress in El comienzo del tiempo:

It was a marvelous experience for me. I couldn’t believe it. When I told my daughters, they said, ‘Oh Mom, that’s not possible, you’re lying.’ But when they saw me acting, ‘Wow, Mom, it’s really true.’ It was an experience for me, since I am a pharmaceutical chemist. It was a different achievement at my age and I took advantage of the opportunity because it is a farewell to life for me. I am very grateful to Bernardo, to everyone who worked with me because they were very supportive. And to you, I love you very much because you’re really here to listen to and see us.”

The premiere of El comienzo del tiempo will be held at a gala screening on Saturday, October 18, at 6:30 pm at Cinépolis Morelia Centro, with a red carpet and the presence of the cast.

Coverage by Gabriel Andrade Espinosa (@gabolonio)