The Three Amigos: Alfonso Cuarón, Guillermo Del Toro, and Alejandro González Iñárritu
The early hits of Mexican directors Alfonso Cuarón, Guillermo del Toro, and Alejandro G. Iñárritu included Y tu mamá también (Cuarón), The Devil's Backbone (del Toro), and Amores Perros (Iárritu). The trio, known as "The Three Amigos," has gathered for their first collective interview since 2006. Alfonso Cuarón is presently working on his newest motion picture, but produced Raymond & Ray just last year, and had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, and Le pupille, a short by Alice Rohrwacher. Guillermo del Toro attached his name to two projects last year: anthology series Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities, and his first animated feature Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, both for Netflix. Alejandro G. Iñárritu delivered his most personal work to date with Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths, in which he takes an unabashed look at his triumphs and tragedies.
The conversation between the three friends flows easily and requires little moderation. Each describes how obsessive their interest in their chosen field is that ideas become bold, and arguments become heated good-naturedly. Together, they discuss their first encounters with one another, their perspectives on their lives and careers, and what they see in the future of cinema.
“If you ask me, we’re constantly inspiring each other, but Alejandro and Alfonso have really been tough with me when I make a mistake…We warn each other very lovingly but also very sternly.”
Regarding how the three directors met each other, Guillermo discloses how he met Alfonso in the 1980s in the waiting room of a television program. Both had heard about each other through mutual friends and quickly became acquainted. Guillermo claimed he met Alejandro due to Alfonso. Alfonso called Guillermo to seek assistance for Alejandro. While Alfonso praises Alejandro for his genius and talent, Alfonso also realizes how stubborn Alejandro can be. At the time, both Alfonso and some of his colleagues were trying to convince Alejandro to cut some of his film, Amores Perros (2000), for a shorter runtime. Unable to reach an agreement, Alfonso called up Guillermo to contact Alejandro to explain the reasoning behind a shorter runtime.
Before he met Guillermo, Alejandro reveals he traveled to Los Angeles to visit Alfonso and ask for advice on Amores Perros. Alejandro had finished editing the film eight months before the trip which led to the disagreements Guillermo mentioned earlier. When he eventually met Guillermo through Alfonso, Alejandro worked with Guillermo for four days to discuss and become conscious of each other before working on the finished version of Amores Perros.
After finishing the story of how they met, Guillermo states he is inspired by Alfonso and Alejandro. He thinks Alfonso’s experiments of splicing takes on Children of Men (2006) were incredible to the refined vocabulary of the film. Offering Alejandro to agree or disagree, Guillermo claims Alejandro was somewhat inspired by Alfonso’s work while creating Birdman (2014). Watching Birdman inspired Guillermo to develop The Shape of Water (2017). Before, Guillermo was afraid to do the film due to its high cost to produce. Seeking advice, Guillermo called Alejandro to ask what the film budget was for Birdman. Alejandro, in a jovial tone, replied that “a budget is a state of mind.”
Alejandro chimes in, stating how the works of Guillermo and Alfonso triggered inspiration within himself. Alejandro felt encouraged by the two directors to go further and learn more about the approach to directing. He sees the work of filmmakers as catalysts to grow as a person through changing perspectives. Alejandro reasons that filmmakers go through periods in their life where they can get lost. However, Alejandro believes the relationship he has with Guillermo and Alfonso provides support whenever one of them is down or out of sync. Despite doing different types of films, Alejandro is always in awe of Guillermo and Alfonso. He accepts that he won’t be able to do what they do, but Alejandro loves that. Alejandro admires and learns about what he doesn’t understand, and he feels it’s the same for Guillermo and Alfonso.
“Even if we have a specific way to do cinema, each one of us, whenever we have a conversation, understands where the other is coming from. Then the other one may make us aware of the weakness of what we’re doing because each of us has a different strength.”
Alfonso joins the conversation by claiming how he sees the differences between him, Guillermo, and Alejandro as compliments—a compliment in the sense that Alfonso feels aware of their limitations and strengths. Even if a disagreement arises, one of them will have already put up a red flag about what to be cautious about. The three of them together serve as checks and balances to one another.
When asked about their notes process, Guillermo believes he, Alejandro, and Alfonso are different in how they direct films, but similar toward life philosophies: failure or success isn’t defining things; seeing the good in the bad and the bad in the good; and sharing real dialogue to those close to them. Guillermo explains that these differences and shared mentalities aid them in avoiding becoming lost in life. Guillermo claims that as an artist, he can communicate his craft and success in the most personal and helpful way possible. He claims this ability has saved his sanity.
Alfonso agrees and discloses that the communication between him, Guillermo, and Alejandro is brutally honest. Alfonso claims he learns best within that atmosphere because, despite the harshness, there is a compliment within. He admits some of the things said between them can sting, but laughter always comes out before anger. Alfonso thinks it’s almost silly how easily they can expose the faults in each other. He reassures viewers that everything said between the three directors comes from a place of love and generosity—sometimes there is a feeling of admiration, and other times realization of the need to grow. Whatever is spoken always has constructive feedback.
“We share the same country, the same thinking, the same circumstances coming from the same city in the area. We understand, deeply, who we are not just as a filmmaker, but as a person. I think that’s the big difference.”
Alejandro agrees with Alfonso and adds that there is an unspoken rule between them: “When you say something about the work, make sure it is something honest and useful.” This rule is important because Alejandro believes they would never say anything separate from those feelings. The benefit of the relationship these three directors have is a shared understanding of each other in a technical and motivational aspect. Guillermo cuts in to explain to the audience how their journey into the industry was a different panorama of what Mexican cinema meant to the country and international audiences. He credits the success of him, Alfonso, and Alejandro with changing the views on Mexico’s film industry.
The trio’s final topic of discussion is the future of cinema. Alejandro relates the change and upcoming future of the film industry to coffee. In his opinion, coffee was an incredible tradition of where it came from, the way it’s prepared, how it creates a conversation, and its ability to give time off in life. Then all of a sudden, Starbucks came and transformed the coffee adage into a fast-paced, unfriendly, non-personal application with hundreds of combinations involving cream and sugar. As a result, traditional black coffee became forgotten. Like coffee, classic cinema has been added with so many stimuli and streamlined for quick release. Alejandro feels the techniques and language of cinema have been overshadowed to the point where anything mysterious or carefully planned is challenged.
However, Alejandro believes the same can’t be said for the music industry. He claims that what is happening is open communication leading to a conglomeration of musicians blending every genre of music. While poor attempts have been made, Alejandro feels that some of the new-generation music is heading toward a movement like a Renaissance. Unfortunately, the film industry isn’t moving at the same pace, but Alejandro and Guillermo believe it will catch up. For that to occur, Alejandro reasons that cinema must blend its possibilities and dangers. He also thinks audiences should not be fed “sugar-coated” films and to accept the “black coffee.”
“It’s very important that when people talk about cinema, they should stop focusing on the same old people. Why don’t they turn and look to these amazing younger filmmakers that are offering amazing cinema?”
Quoting Alejandro, Alfonso sees young filmmakers as bringers of both good “classic coffee,” and flavorful “sugary coffee.” He is surprised how people have recently discussed “the end of cinema” while there are new projects featuring new talent coming out as they speak. Alfonso expresses his wish for viewers of this interview to understand that this type of discussion doesn’t necessarily come from platforms. Proof of that is the conversation he is having with Alejandro and Guillermo. Alfonso explains how the topic of “the end of cinema” usually comes from media and social delivery: they aren’t the majority, but they are the loudest.
Alfonso believes the focus on figuring out why cinema is dying is dangerous for new voices emerging from first-time filmmakers. Guillermo agrees with the sentiment. Guillermo feels that generationally speaking, it is their duty to somewhat step aside to look at the new talent. There might even be opportunities for him, Alfonso, or Alejandro to shepherd the next generation of filmmakers. The conversation about cinema is urgent because people who claim its death are artificial; new possibilities are coming.