Gael Garcia Bernal to be recognized for contributions to film
Gael Garcia Bernal, one of Mexico’s most bankable film stars and a favorite in Hollywood, is to be honored at the upcoming International Film Festival in Guadalajara for his contributions to cinema.
Garcia Bernal, star of films such as "The Motorcycle Diaries," "Y Tu Mama Tambien," "Babel" and "Amores Perros", is to be the recipient of the Guadalajara Prize which recognizes the contributions of a person from Latin America to international cinema.
The film star isn’t just a pretty face — Garcia Bernal is also the co-founder of the documentary film festival Ambulante with his close friend and fellow actor Diego Luna. Ambulante just finished its fourth run in Mexico and has traveled to many parts of the world including the United States, Britain, Ireland
and Cuba.
The statement from the Guadalajara film festival (pdf) commends Garcia Bernal for his "tireless concern for films", adding; "Gael Garcia Bernal is the executive producer along with Diego Luna of Canana Films, a company founded by Pablo Cruz with the goal of bolstering Latin American production and lending support to new filmmakers. Films such as Como Voy a Explotar by Gerardo Naranjo, Sin Nombre by Cary Fukunaga and Sólo Quiero Caminar by Agustin Diaz are part of this company’s productions."
Well done Gael, but given that he is being commended for many of the initiatives he has done jointly with pal Diego Luna, it’s hard to see why Luna isn’t getting the prize too.
Former recipients of the Guadalajara prize include Mexican director Guillermo del Toro (2007) and musical composer Gustavo Santaolalla (2008).
Image: Gael Garcia Bernal at the opening of this years Ambulant documentary film festival in February. Deborah Bonello / Los Angeles Times.