10 · 24 · 13

History of cinema with Tarantino: Frenchman’s Creek and Shark!

The 11th edition of FICM is deeply honored to welcome Quentin Tarantino, extraordinary filmmaker and film collector who has come to the festival for the third time.

Tarantino’s passion for the medium has made it possible for audiences around the world to experience stunning works of classical cinema for the first time. Now, thanks to his enormous generosity, the public in Morelia can see a small selection of films from his private collection.

The director has presented some of his films personally, sharing his vast knowledge of the history of cinema and especially transmitting his enthusiasm to the audience.

Frenchman’s Creek, directed by Mitchell Leisen, launched the career of legendary Mexican actor Arturo de Córdova in the United States. By lending FICM his archive 16mm copy, Tarantino has enabled the Mexican public the chance to see it in the same format in which the U.S. public originally saw it.

FICM set up a 16mm projector in Sala 5 of Cinépolis Centro, especially for the tribute to Arturo de Córdova. “This is why it’s great to be here at this festival – to see some of his great Spanish language classics the way they were meant to be seen,” Tarantino said.

Daniela Michel, general director of FICM, thanked Tarantino for his generosity and for lending the festival his copy of the film, which is spectacular and in magnificent color. Then Frenchman’s Creek began.

Shark!: Tarantino, FICM and the sharks

Samuel Fuller, one of Quentin Tarantino’s favorite directors and a Hollywood icon, made Shark! (1969), an independent production with Mexican film producers. It was filmed in Mexico with a Mexican crew.

The film stars Burt Reynolds, just before he became immensely famous, and, in the words of Tarantino, “the great Mexican femme fatale actress Silvia Pinal.”

So in Shark!, the public of Morelia can see the love affair between Burt Reynolds and Silvia Pinal. In addition, Tarantino said, the film includes impressive underwater sequences of shark hunting. It is also said that a shark killed a member of the crew.

In the presentation, Tarantino recalled that the last time he was at FICM, he brought the film Tintorera (1977) by René Cardona Jr. and that somehow he, the festival and the sharks are connected. “We have a whole shark thing going on,” he said.

Daniela Michel concluded the presentation with a brief commentary about Silvia Pinal, sharing with the public that this was the Mexican actress’s first part in English – a curiosity of her career. Then, the projection of a fantastic 35mm copy of Shark! from Quentin Tarantino’s personal archive began.