16/05/2005

It’s a Mexican filmmaker who causes a scandal this year and who divides the public of the Competition with his film. Carlo Reygadas, 34 years old, who already struck people with his radicalism in 2002 with I>Japón (which was awarded the Jury’s special mention at the Camera d’Or), depicts a hard and indecent story between carnal and spiritual, reality and dream. As a result, nearly 8 minutes’ applause and many complaints (among others that of being blasphemous). "Paradise is the place where souls and bodies live together", declares the filmmaker in order to defend himself. "It’s the place where the most beautiful things happen. Love and even its physical aspect is among those".

Shot in Mexico through thousands of difficulties, with a budget amounted to 1.66 million euros, the film was very much in demand by the French producer Philippe Bober, and his "Société Parisienne de Production" together with No Dream, Mantarraya and Mackey (Mexico), Essential Filmproduktion (Germany), Arte (100.000 euros) and Tarantula Belgium and the French Community of Belgium.

"Postproduction has also been achieved in Europe", explains Reygadas, who met huge obstacles during the shots on the summit of the Ajusco Volcano, in the crowded town of Mexico, the airport, military bases and the Basilica of Guadalupe. "But what I like most in making a film is to share emotions with many people without really imposing on them".

(Translated from Italian)