Cantinflas with his signature moustache.Film about the iconic
Mexican actor opens in cinemas next week
A film that tells the story of iconic Mexican actor Mario Moreno, better known by his stage name Cantinflas, will represent Mexico in the 2015 Academy Awards.
Moreno, born in 1911, was one of the pioneers of Mexican cinema, beginning his film career 1936 and starring in some 40 films until 1981. He is best known outside Mexico for his role as the valet Passepartout in Around the World in 80 Days, in which he co-starred with David Niven, and became the world’s best paid actor.
He won a Golden Globe award for his performance.
Moreno was particularly famous for his comic use of language through obfuscation, which he used to confuse people and often humiliate them without their knowing. It is a form that came to be known among Mexicans as a cantinflada.
The film Cantinflas, directed by Sebastián del Amo, will represent Mexico in the best foreign-language film category. Starring Spanish actor Oscar Jaenada, it tells the story of Moreno from his beginnings in tent shows through to his foray into Hollywood, and is due to be in cinemas in Mexico next week.
Moreno’s character didn’t do well with American audiences, who didn’t understand his humor, and he is described as coming off more buffoon than comedian.
Announcement of the film as an Oscars nominee was made yesterday by the Mexican Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences (AMACC). It also announced that The Perfect Dictator (La dictadura perfecta) was selected as the entry in Spain’s Goya Awards, the Spanish equivalent of the Oscars.
That film, directed by Luis Estrada, is a present-day satire about the relationship of a major television network — Televisa — with Mexican political power — President Peña Nieto.
The director said in an interview there have been no obstacles put in his way by the Mexican government, which helped finance it, but Televisa, which had initially agreed to distribute the film, backed out after seeing it and demanded the return of a distribution advance.
The name of the film comes from a famous quote by Peruvian author Mario Vargas Llosa, in which he described Mexico’s Institutional Revolutionary Party as the perfect dictatorship.
Estrada is well known for his satires about corruption, violence and social inequality. The film is due to be shown in theatres in October.
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