Amores Perros (2000)

Introduction to key themes and context

• Director: Alejandro Iñarritu• Released: Summer 2000• “A Mexican Pulp Fiction”• Means ‘ Love is a Bitch’/ ‘Dog Love’. Ambiguity

of title in Spanish is important as ownership of an animal is seen as a status symbol. Indigenous Mexicans believed dogs to have a soul.

Stereotypical Mexico in film pre 1990 was RURAL (apart from Los Olividados, which caused great controversy over its depiction of Mexico city)

Contemporary Mexico City post 1990Edgy Feel achieved by:

• Hand held camera• Juxtaposition of contrasting images• Sharp close ups• Fast paced editing• Film score• Documentary feel

Move from rural to urban film making

1. 1968: Students and workers marched in protest of government. This ended in massacre and focused global attention on Mexico city.

2. 1985: Severe earthquake. Government was slow to respond. Many people lost their homes. This drew attention to geographical instability of Mexico City.

3. July 2000 (coincides with film release): PRI was replaced by PAN/ Alliance for Change.

Interesting themes to think about…

• Mexican filmmakers were now free from creative restrictions and heavily sexualised imagery has been a common response in developing a distinctive style of cinema - often encoding moral messages.

• Death and violence are only ‘around the corner’ in contemporary Mexican cinema

• Many contemporary Mexican films are deeply allegorical - they tell a story with a message and cross over frequently from mainstream to art house; a common distinctive feature.

Political situation in Mexico

• PRI- (Institutional Revolutionary Party) had been in power since 1929

• Known as “la dictadura perfecta” (Llosa-Mexican writer)• They were a symbol of corruption and fraud• 1994 Economic crisis caused PRI to lose absolute

majority.• 2000 first non PRI president elected since 1929• 2000 election was won by PAN (National Action Party)/

Alliance for Change. They were led by Vincente Fox.• 2012 PRI voted back in (disappointed with PAN rule)

Situation for film makers in Mexico• 1990s: the government gave very little money to

fund films. In response more and more directors started making films on small budgets/setting up their own production companies.

• 1990s saw the rise of politically engaged films. It was from this that Amores Perros emerged.

• “It’s a story that deals with human pain, love and death - which make no distinction of social class.” (Inarritu)

• Look out for the potical themes in Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001, Dir. Alfonso Cuaron) too

Alejandro Iñarritu• Started his career as a radio DJ (reflected in

contemporary feel of soundtrack)• Then directed commercials• Set up Zeta Films which helped to finance AP.

“A very political film, although not overtly so. At the end of the day it portrays the effects of 70 odd years of an extremely authoritarian regime”

Alejandro IñarrituNotable films:• The Revenant (2015) [OSCAR WIN – Best

Achievement in Directing]• Birdman (2014) [OSCAR WIN – Best Achievement in

Directing, Best Motion Picture of The Year, Best Writing]

• Biutiful (2010)• Babel (2006) [ALMA AWARDS WIN – Best Director]• 21 Grams (2003)• Amores Perros (2000) [BAFTA WIN – Best Film (Not

English Language)]

Key themes?

What can we learn about the film from its poster?

Think about representation and identity.

Task: You are going to watch the first 20 minutes of Amores Perros. While you are watching make notes on the representation/depiction of contemporary Mexico City.

Mark Scheme…Either,

1. How far has your understanding of your chosen films been increased by placing them within a national cinema study? Level 4 • A detailed and very good knowledge and understanding of distinctive characteristics of films studied. • A sound understanding of contexts within which the relevant national cinema can be understood. • An ability to engage directly with the question, possibly making distinctions between different film examples. • (The very best candidates) … will offer a carefully considered sophisticated response, weighing up the advantages of

a national cinema study against other issues.

Or, 2. ‘Such is the dominance of Hollywood that it is very difficult for filmmakers to develop a national film style.’ How far is this true of the films you have studied for this topic? Level 4 • A very good knowledge and understanding of the terms of the question, including the idea of a national film style. • An ability to make detailed and close reference to telling and relevant detail for appropriate films. • An ability to engage directly with the question, considering how far films from the chosen national cinema are

emulating or working against Hollywood-style practices. • (The very best candidates) … will develop a sophisticated argument, possibly drawing on ideas of a universal film

language, possibly on ideas of an inevitable element of hybridity, especially if the national cinema is seeking overseas markets.