Mexican actor and director Gael García Bernal delves into the origins of his latest directorial endeavor, "Hombre al agua," citing "vocation" as the driving force behind the project. This intrinsic calling, he explains, was ignited a quarter-century ago during the filming of Alfonso Cuarón’s seminal work, "Y tu mamá también," a film that not only propelled his international acting career but also served as an unexpected cinematic apprenticeship alongside co-star Diego Luna. The experience, which occurred 25 years ago, offered García Bernal a unique behind-the-scenes perspective, allowing him to grasp the intricate mechanics of filmmaking beyond the actor’s immediate role.
The Genesis of a Vision: From Actor to Auteur
"I believe this film stems more from the vocation of cinema, one we discovered 25 years ago when Diego and I had the opportunity to make ‘Y tu mamá también’," García Bernal revealed in an interview with EL INFORMADOR. "It was at that moment that we began to understand the ingredients that compose cinema, beyond being spectators or even participating in films as actors." This formative period under the tutelage of cinematic giants like director Alfonso Cuarón and cinematographer Emmanuel "Chivo" Lubezki proved instrumental. They generously allowed the young actors to observe and engage with various stages of the filmmaking process, fostering a profound understanding of the craft.
"Y tu mamá también," released in 2001, was a critical and commercial success, garnering an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. Its raw portrayal of two teenage boys on a road trip with an older woman resonated globally, establishing García Bernal and Luna as leading figures in a burgeoning "New Mexican Cinema" movement. Beyond its narrative, the film’s production environment, as García Bernal recalls, was one of open dialogue and collaborative learning. Cuarón and Lubezki, both now multiple Academy Award winners, created an atmosphere where creative exploration was prioritized over rigid commercial dictates.
García Bernal reminisces about a time when there was ample space to discuss artistic decisions and immerse oneself in the lengthy processes of a film set. "That film gave us the opportunity to have the clay in our hands," he states, emphasizing the hands-on learning experience. "Alfonso Cuarón was very generous, and Chivo Lubezki too, and everyone involved. They guided us, accompanied us, and showed us how cinema was made." Crucially, he notes, "Back then, there was time to talk about these things, to accompany the long processes of a shoot, and also not to think about the audience, in the best sense of the word."
"Hombre al Agua": A Deep Dive into Societal Currents
This foundational philosophy underpins "Hombre al agua," García Bernal’s third feature film as a director, following "Déficit" (2007) and "Chicuarotes" (2019). In "Hombre al agua," he not only directs but also takes on the lead role of Camilo, a Cuban lifeguard whose life takes an unexpected turn after he rescues Abel, a powerful Mexican businessman portrayed by Jorge Salinas, from drowning. This pivotal encounter propels Camilo into a new life in Mexico, where he is thrust into a world dictated by wealth, political machinations, and stark class disparities. He also meets Juana, played by Esmeralda Pimentel, with whom he starts a family. However, this seemingly fortuitous new beginning gradually imposes a new identity upon him, challenging his sense of self and autonomy.
The film’s narrative serves as a vessel for García Bernal to explore a multitude of "curious and unsettling" questions that he finds compelling. He explains, "Cinema became that place for me to sublimate all those questions and also to play. I like to put a lot of things that I find very curious and unsettling, and here we could explore several themes that matter to me." The story intricately weaves themes of power, economic influence, and the subtle yet pervasive ways in which external forces can shape an individual’s identity and life narrative.
The Yucatán Canvas: A Microcosm of Inequality
The diverse Latin American presence within the cast further enriches the film’s thematic exploration. The ensemble includes Fabiana, played by Brazilian actress Débora Nascimento, and Silvina, portrayed by Uruguayan star Natalia Oreiro. García Bernal describes Silvina as a woman estranged from her home country, finding refuge in Mexico and pregnant with Abel’s child. Camilo’s Cuban background, combined with these characters, creates a tapestry of accents and origins, reflecting the rich heterogeneity of Latin America.
The choice of Yucatán as the primary setting for "Hombre al agua" is deliberate and central to its social commentary. García Bernal found in Yucatán a particularly visible manifestation of the social disparities he wished to explore. These diverse elements, he humorously notes, coalesce into "an interesting pozole," a traditional Mexican stew, signifying a complex blend of issues. Beneath the humor lies a concrete political concern. "Yucatán is also in this class conflict," he states. "Within Mexico, it is one of the places where this class conflict can be exemplified much more. There is a reality we are seeing: the game of democracy or the game of politics governed by rampant capital, which dominates the discussion of everything."
"Hombre al agua" thus utilizes the transformation of a Cuban lifeguard to pose critical questions: Who possesses the power to construct another person’s identity? Who controls the narratives that define lives? And what happens when economic power infiltrates and dictates private existence? García Bernal extends this line of inquiry into a broader warning that transcends his characters: "Anything we say, anything we are — and put in more metaphorical or poetic terms, as it would be in a film — any film we make of our lives can be told by those forces of power for electoral purposes." The film, for the director, is precisely about using cinema to gather these questions without necessarily providing definitive answers.
Navigating Identity and Manipulation: Character Insights
The tensions surrounding Camilo find their closest expression in Abel and Juana, portrayed by Jorge Salinas and Esmeralda Pimentel, respectively. Abel, the powerful businessman Camilo rescues, and Juana, with whom Camilo forms a family, represent two poles of control within the narrative. While Camilo’s apparent good fortune begins to unravel as he uncovers the extent to which others have intervened in his life-altering decisions, Abel and Juana embody different relationships with agency.
Jorge Salinas describes his character, Abel, as a man driven by clear objectives, relentless in his pursuit of influence. "He knows very clearly what he wants to achieve and little by little he gets closer to what he needs to convince," Salinas explains. Abel’s political aspirations for the governorship of Yucatán fuel his actions. His initial relationship with Camilo, seemingly born of gratitude, gradually reveals deeper, more manipulative intentions. Salinas was drawn to this manipulative capacity, seeing in Abel a reflection of political dynamics observable across Mexico and beyond. "It seemed fascinating to me to embody a character very similar to what we experience at the political level, not only in Mexico but also in other neighboring countries," he says. "I think it’s very cool to strip bare and realize that the human being is imperfect and manipulative, and that we allow and give power to third parties, renouncing our own will, to rule our lives. That’s what seduced me."
Esmeralda Pimentel, on the other hand, portrays Juana, a character who begins to question her own certainties as marriage, motherhood, and the life she once knew diverge from her expectations. Both Salinas and Pimentel joined "Hombre al agua" through auditions. Pimentel was immediately struck by the script’s depth and the character’s potential. Her collaboration with García Bernal further shaped Juana, with the director providing specific guidance while also granting creative freedom. "I don’t think I had ever received a casting scene that was so complex, so fun, that proposed so much and was so eloquent at the dialogue level," Pimentel shares. "Gael, who for me is undoubtedly an example and has been a teacher throughout this process, was also a huge gift. He gave me very specific keys on how to embody Juana and, from there, he gave me complete freedom to propose, play, and explore."
For Jorge Salinas, the casting process was protracted, involving a year-long wait for results. His role in "Hombre al agua" also marked a significant return to cinema after a career predominantly in television and theater. Salinas, who previously featured in acclaimed films like "Amores perros" (2000) and "Sexo, pudor y lágrimas" (1999), acknowledges that working with García Bernal challenged his established approaches to character development. "I was always used to the director guiding me, giving me some direction," Salinas concludes. "Here I had the director’s blessing and trust. Yes, with demands, obviously, but with the confidence of saying: ‘You were chosen to be here. Let’s see what you’re made of.’ That, for me, was innovative and I am very grateful for it. It forced me to delve deeper into my shortcomings, into my insecurities, to be able to go through them."
The Director’s Philosophy: Art Over Commerce
García Bernal’s commitment to making films that transcend purely commercial objectives is a cornerstone of his artistic philosophy. He believes that focusing solely on commercial viability can render a film fleeting, likening it to "yesterday’s newspaper" or a "resounding failure" if it doesn’t meet box office expectations, thereby stripping it of its inherent "life of its own." Instead, he champions the freedom to create with the hope of achieving something that resonates deeply, without being constrained by market pressures. This approach has characterized his directorial work, from "Déficit," a coming-of-age drama exploring class and identity, to "Chicuarotes," a darker tale set in a marginalized community outside Mexico City. Both films showcased his interest in social dynamics and the human condition, often through challenging and unconventional narratives.
This perspective is particularly relevant in an era where global cinema often grapples with the tension between artistic expression and the demands of a profit-driven industry. García Bernal’s sustained pursuit of projects that allow for genuine inquiry and creative play positions him as an advocate for cinema that sparks thought and dialogue, rather than merely entertainment. Twenty-five years after Cuarón and Lubezki handed him the "clay" of filmmaking, García Bernal continues to embrace that same vocation: to mold narratives that explore the unsettling questions of the contemporary world.
Broader Implications: Mexico and Latin America
Among García Bernal’s core preoccupations is the political landscape of Latin America. He posits that while "Hombre al agua" is rooted in a Mexican reality, its themes resonate widely across the region. "Perhaps the reality of Mexico is very similar to what happens throughout Latin America. We share a lot of problems, a lot of open questions, and the ways we have of addressing them are very similar," he observes. The film, therefore, acts as a mirror reflecting shared socio-political challenges, such as corruption, pervasive economic inequality, and the fragility of democratic institutions under capitalist influence.
The film’s specific setting in Yucatán allows for a concentrated exploration of social differences and the fundamental question of the state of democracy. García Bernal notes that Yucatán, a region rarely depicted in recent cinema, provides a unique backdrop. Camilo, as a Cuban foreigner newly arrived in this social structure, occupies a particular position. "Camilo, being Cuban, is completely vaccinated from ideology. He can read manipulation from a distance and, in his desire to survive, completely laudable and obviously elemental, he becomes what the world wants him to be," the director explains. This external imposition of identity is a central conflict for the protagonist. "His identity is imposed on him throughout the film. Afterwards, he manages to turn things around a bit, he manages to change things," García Bernal concludes, hinting at the film’s nuanced exploration of agency and resilience in the face of systemic pressures. "Hombre al agua" thus stands as a timely and incisive cinematic commentary on the intricate interplay of individual identity, societal forces, and the enduring quest for self-determination in a complex, interconnected Latin American reality.
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