The Guardian chooses to quote a couple of negative critics comments, and not the favorable comments of many others attending the premiere but headlines their article
"Pretentious" Zapata Angers Mexicans" - a ridiculously lopsided and misleading report.

Here in Mexico, this film and it's premiere has been receiving a lot of press since (and some before) the production began filming. (Much more than Wolfgang Peterson's "Troy," despite Brad Pitt's tremendous popularity here. It's Mexico - what can I say? Alejandro Fernandez is, well, more popular here than Brad.)

"Zapata: El Sueño del Heroe" is of particular interest to me, since my husband and I were in charge of local casting and the extras casting department for the production. We watched coverage of the premiere and gossip shows on both principal broadcast channels (TV Azteca and Televisa)to hear the reaction to the film from those who attended.

The majority response was strongly favorable, with many kudos to Oscar winning cinematographer Vittorio Storaro for the beauty of the film, as well as for the performances of the cast. In fact, no negative comments were broadcast at all, though negative comments are always much more sensational. People have heard for months that the film would not be just another historical version, but rather a mystical invention, so they weren't expecting anything else.

Our own review will have to wait a few hours, since we're finally going to see it for myself tonight here in Puerto Vallarta, where we live.

Yeah, I know ours might not seem an unbiased opinion, but I think we can be objective being the cinephiles that we are. We've worked in films that turned out to be pretty darn good, and ome that for whatever reason turned out pretty mediocre, or crappy, and can admit it. Work is work, and we love it regardless, because the experience that encompasses the filming of it is so much larger than the film on the screen.

Sara, I hope you'll swing by again and drop a line about what you think of the film once you've seen it. Many thanks, too, for clarification on how the Zapata's actually being anticipated in Mexico. The trailer's certainly tantalizing!

Jorge and I saw the film in a packed but comfortable theater complex here in Vallarta where it is being well enough attended to merit two theater screens per showing. Overall, we enjoyed it, though of course we found some things to criticize. The public seemed to react favorably, laughing heartily or being silently somber at the appropriate times and talking about it animatedly on the way out.

It was as or better than expected in some ways, okay in others, and so-so in a few areas. What we enjoyed the most aside from seeing the faces of the native people we cast as well as a few cameos of the crew (for example, Production Designer Eugenio Zanetti is seen as the orchestra conductor) was:

The cinematography, locations, wardrobe, set design and decoration were beautiful, as I expected. Hats off to Alfonso Arau, Vittorio Storaro, Eugenio Zanetti and Marcelo del Rio. Also to Jorge Farfan, Special FX Coordinator; the rain of petals effect turned out beautifully as did the explosions.

Also, there were some genuinely (and unexpectedly) funny moments in addition to the expected battle and mystical scenes.

Some of the cast's performances were better than others; though all were good to acceptable, Alejandro Fernandez portrayal of Zapata was okay, though (dare I say it?) just a little flat at times. At times, he displayed more life, personality, that sparkle, just not always. Though his was a mystical and typically serious and sometimes confused character, we wanted him to be a little more human and real, a little more demonstrative, see deeper into his eyes, to make us identify even more with the character. Jesus Ochoa, Julio Bracho and Jaime Camil turned in some of the strongest performances, and Gerardo Parra's portrayal of Pancho Villa was quite likeable. Carmen Salinas' double entendres in the Sanborn's de los Azulejos scene with Villa and Zapata were quite funny (in Spanish at least) and the audience laughed quite heartily and appreciatively. Both Lucero and Patricia Velasquez have tremendous screen presence, are beautiful, and turned in solid performances.

We definitely think the edition seemed to have cut a number of scenes too tightly in the first half of the film, A few scenes played by so fast they just seemed like a summary of a few important events, maybe like a long trailer. Maybe it was done to keep a quick pace, or maybe they just wanted to cut running time. And of course, there are always the scenes that are completely edited out of the film, which we would have liked to see included, such as a scene with a multitude of ancestors, and a passionate scene between Jaime Camil's lusty Eufemio Zapata and a young lady in the hay, that was in addition to the one shown in the film. The computerized special effects could have been better in a few of the mystical scenes.

I have heard rumors that since there was a lot of pressure to finish the editing and computer special effects to get the film to the theaters after many delays, the version being seen in Mexican theaters is not what will be shown in other countries; we heard they will improve those effects and edition before it hits US and international screens.

Having read and liked Mr. Arau's interesting script before and dring filming, there were a few scenes that we think should have turned out better, for example the Banquet of dead Zapatistas - what should have been a more profound "aha" moment in the film, (and was a scene we particularly liked in the script) though still quite interesting and beautifully filmed, we think would have had more impact by letting us linger a little longer and digest what the chamana tells Zapata and his reaction.

One of our favorite sets and scenes, as brief as it was, was the bedroom wedding night scene between Zapata (Fernandez) and Josefa (Patricia Velasquez) when he finds her waiting on the bed (don't want to include many spoilers, so I'll leave out the details, though I'll say you may be pleasantly reminded of a Diego Rivera painting.) Artistically, beautifully and interestingly done.

All in all, we did enjoy it. After the film, we eavesdropped a little to hear what people were saying. Most were saying they liked it, that it was better than they had expected, though different than they'd expected. We were pleased to overhear a couple of people comment about how they liked the authentic faces of the old native people. 95 year old one-eyed (that wasn't SPFX makeup) Gerardo Perez did fine in his first ever role speaking náhuatl as the town elder Don Refugio as did Alejandra Palacios, the youngest chamana. Both were locally hired by us in Cuautla, Morelos; Alejandra lives just a few blocks away from the ruins of the ex-hacienda of Coahuixtla just outside of Cuautla where we most of the production was filmed. Often people don't even notice the bulk of our work, because they are focusing on the main actors.

Mexican critics are quite tough when it comes to some Mexican films, filmmakers and/or actors/actresses of Mexican nationality that work in the US. One of the criticisms I had heard about "Zapata" was that Arau had made it too "Hollywood," and there is a definite eye of suspicion/malicious envy cast upon those who are successful on the other side of the border. Despite her success, Salma Hayek is routinely roasted by the Mexican gossip kings and queens, and when Alfonso Arau's Academy Award winning film "Like Water for Chocolate" first played in Mexico, it was roundly called one of the worst films ever. You would think they would be proud of these examples of success, but often it is the opposite - it creates envy and lack of support. Ask Salma, ask anyone here in Mexico.

It is a peculiar cultural quality, often illustrated by a wry parable told here with frequency that I'll risk sharing with you here. (NOTE: this is told by Mexicans in Mexico, not Americans; it's been told to me more times than I can count. I can just hear some people screaming that it's racist, but I'm not a racist, didn't make it up and happen to love Mexico and it's people. That's why I live here and am married to a Mexican. However, we have to understand there are different cultural attitudes in some circumstances. In the US we are quite conscious of avoiding "politically incorrect" issues, but here people are often freer with their jokes and stories.

Okay, 'nuf said, here's the tale:
There are two buckets filled with crabs trying to climb out. One is a bucket full of Mexican crabs, and the other is full of American crabs.

In short order all of the American crabs are out of the bucket and scrambling away. But all the Mexican crabs are still struggling inside their bucket. Why? The American crabs made themselves into a ladder and helped each other climb out, but the Mexican crabs are still busy grabbing a hold of and pulling down any crab trying to get out ahead of them. And if one does manage to get out, the others still inside spitefully curse him for having done what they all are trying to do.

That said, we don't usually put much stock in what the critics and gossip shows here typically say.

And I would add that I realize generalizations are inherently unfair; there are some wonderful people here that have a different attitude, do help others and are not at all represented by that story. Case in point: We happen to work with a great group of positive, progressive minded production crew that collaborate well and knock ourselves out to bring it in within the budget and on time, and manage to enjoy it.

Along that line, highest praise of all goes to line producer/executive producer and behind the scenes hero, Ricardo del Rio.

Sara, many more thanks for that preview. I'll certainly be looking forward to seeing Zapata when it opens in Berlin, as I'm sure it will eventually.

Meantime, what you say about Mexican critical reception of Mexican films (and Mexican popular reception, too, evidently) is particularly interesting to me because I see a similar phenomenon here in Germany. Though the atmo's been a bit better in the last year or so (2003 was a good year for German movies), the papers are constantly bemoaning the state of German cinema and critics are usually much harsher on German films than critics anywhere else (except in France, of course [g]).

I wonder if this part of it holds true in Mexico as well: It's not that they prefer Hollywood product; not by any means. In fact, it may be because they have such demanding expectations of German filmmakers in the hope that they will provide an effective counterbalance to Hollywood's dominance - expectations that are so high they're doomed to be disappointed.

At any rate, thanks again!

I think that's an excellent observation, and one that I think is true here. Also, being right next to the US with all of it's weight/dominance in many issues (not only in film) underscores the Mexican people's strong desire to express their own unique cultural identity and value, and not just roll over for their big northern neighbor.

However, Hollywood blockbusters are still as popular here as anywhere, though independent film has a large following, particularly in the metropolitan areas. And a new wave of independent filmmakers here are creating some provocative, gritty and interesting fare, for instance, Amores Perros
(Love's a Bitch) and was a great source of national pride when it won an Academy Award a few years ago.