DistantNews
Support us
🇦🇷 Argentina /Culture & Society

Gael García Bernal unveils a Venice fable about the powerful manipulating the vulnerable

From Clarín · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Gael García Bernal presented “Hombre al agua” at the Venice Film Festival, directing and starring in a story about a wealthy family manipulating a Cuban lifeguard.
  • The film, shown in the noncompetitive Spotlight section, features Ricky Martin and explores power, political messaging and the diversity of Latin America.
  • García Bernal said art can disrupt ideologies built on fear, while Martin described his brief acting role as enjoyable and supportive.

In Gael García Bernal's “Hombre al agua,” a responsible, idealistic Cuban lifeguard saves a wealthy Mexican businessman from drowning, only to find that his rescue may have been part of a larger plan. The film, presented Sunday in Venice, pairs García Bernal's direction with an appearance by Puerto Rican star Ricky Martin.

We are living in a moment where everything is co-opted in order to be capitalized.

· Gael García BernalHe described the film's central concern in an interview with AFP.

For his third film as director, García Bernal plays the lifeguard, who receives a job at the businessman's factory in Yucatán. He eventually marries the man's daughter and moves into a luxurious mansion. Over time, however, he begins to suspect that events were not as accidental as he believed and that the influential family has other plans.

The film develops into a fable about how powerful people manipulate those with fewer resources. “We are living in a moment where everything is co-opted in order to be capitalized,” García Bernal told AFP in an interview with Martin. He questioned a world in which everything must serve profit, commercialization or even electoral co-optation, “as if we were constantly living in a popularity reality show.”

as if we were constantly living in a popularity reality show.

· Gael García BernalHe criticized the pressure to turn everything into profit, capital and electoral gain.

Some scenes recall unscrupulous leaders who reshape their messages to win votes. García Bernal names no leaders or countries, but argues that art can slow the spread of such ideologies. These movements fear cultural and artistic expression because it can “blur, break and deactivate what they are building with pins based on fear,” he said.

The battle for humanity.

· Gael García BernalHe used the phrase to describe Latin America's role in shaping a fairer future.

“Hombre al agua,” shown in Venice's out-of-competition Spotlight section, also brings together Brazilian, Argentine, Mexican, Cuban and Puerto Rican characters. García Bernal said he wanted to show Latin America's richness, along with the problems and dreams its countries share. “The battle for humanity” is taking place in Latin America, he said, adding that the region could create “a much fairer, more beautiful place.” Martin, who also served as a producer, plays an actor appearing in a film made by the lifeguard's wife. “It was fun, because he lets you play, but at the same time you feel very protected,” Martin said.

It was fun, because he lets you play, but at the same time you feel very protected.

· Ricky MartinMartin described working with García Bernal on his acting scenes.
About this summary

Originally published by Clarín in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

More Stories

From Our Blog