Iñárritu: Cinema on the Cultural Agenda

Filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu has made history by becoming the first cinema professional to be officially inducted into El Colegio Nacional, Mexico's esteemed cultural institution. The acclaimed director, known for his visually stunning and thematically rich films, sees this as an opportunity to elevate the status of cinema within the country's cultural discourse.

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I think cinema was always seen before as a kind of secondary art, more popular, more like entertainment than culture. And it is. Because, as I said yesterday, cinema manifests itself in millions of things. There is not a single cinema, but cinema can also be profoundly poetic, anthropological, a mirror of society that can provide much dialogue and collective wisdom.

Iñárritu expressed his intention to leverage his new role to create a platform for other filmmakers. He believes many in his profession deserve a greater voice and the chance to share their experiences and wisdom. Historically, cinema has often been relegated to the status of a secondary art form, primarily viewed as entertainment rather than a significant cultural force. Iñárritu aims to dismantle this perception, highlighting cinema's potential for poetic expression, anthropological insight, and its capacity to serve as a mirror to society, fostering dialogue and collective wisdom.

"I think cinema was always seen before as a kind of secondary art, more popular, more like entertainment than culture. And it is. Because, as I said yesterday, cinema manifests itself in millions of things. There is not a single cinema, but cinema can also be profoundly poetic, anthropological, a mirror of society that can provide much dialogue and collective wisdom," Iñárritu stated. He acknowledged the institution's boldness in inviting him, humorously suggesting it might be due to their bravery or a significant oversight, but vowed to integrate cinema into the national cultural conversation.

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And that they dared to invite me means that they are either very brave or they made a big mistake. But since they opened the door, let's see how we integrate cinema into the country's cultural conversation.

Reflecting on the state of culture and education in Mexico, Iñárritu voiced strong criticism of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador's administration. He characterized the government's approach as a campaign against culture, viewing it as elitist, unnecessary, and aristocratic. Iñárritu condemned the perceived attacks on freedom of thought, which he considers fundamental to institutions like El Colegio Nacional, and the labeling of art and culture as societal parasites. He described such views as an unnecessary aggression and a sign of profound ignorance, asserting that art and culture are essential to human life.

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I think sadly it has been eroding, enormously, by an almost campaign by López Obrador, who saw culture as an elitist, unnecessary, aristocratic, opportunistic act, attacking practically freedom of thought, which is what defines this house [El Colegio Nacional], and labeling it as a kind of parasite of society. Which seems to me, in the first place, an unnecessary aggression; in the second, very ignorant because it is not so and because art and culture are essential for life.