I took my kiddos to see the movie The Book of Life and we loved it (more on that in a different post), so I was happy to sit down with Kate del Castillo, Guillermo del Toro & Jorge R. Gutierrez to chat with them about the film.
Here’s what they had to say…
How many years did it take to put this movie together from start to finish?
14 years for Jorge R. Gutierrez, 6 of those years with Guillermo del Toro.
Why take on this project?
Guillermo del Toro: I felt this guy was precious. My teacher always said “Make the movies that need you, not the movies that you need”…This movie needed me.
Jorge R. Gutierrez: For me I could not be more thankful for Guillermo. To have a director of his status, experience and pedigree work with a first time director, to take me under his wing. He was there for me on technical issues, on creative issues, but the biggest one for me has always been on the human side. There were moments I was just ready to give up when he could sense things and he would call me and say “not yet, let’s finish the movie”.
Why was Kate chosen for the role of La Muerte?
Guillermo del Toro: Kate has a strange and very powerful quality. Guys like her, which is not hard, but women love her. She is a very strong woman. She is authentic…
What about this movie drew you to work on it?
Kate del Castillo: Everything about it. When they called me and told me I was invited to do it, I was blown away. For me it was a big opportunity to work with these amazing filmmakers and artists… I am very grateful for both of them.
Plus, the story is beautiful. To play La Muerte, come on. How can you say no to La Muerte? It’s iconic. For me it is in honor to give my voice to this amazing iconic character. I am very pleased.
I would never do something that they would have to convince me to do because then there is no joy. It is a privilege for me to be on set.
Why is it so important that this story be told?
Jorge R. Gutierrez: For me the biggest thing growing up was the idea that the Day of the Dead is a way to honor those that are no longer here. You can tell stories in a way that inspires people.
I remember as a kid, on the day of the dead my father would tell me stories of his father and he would say, “Jorge or Jorgito, what are you going to do so that one day your kids are telling your story?”
What do you hope your audience walks away with after watching the movie?
We challenge the audience to tell their own story and write their own tale.
Guillermo del Toro: As a parent I have gone to every movie release…you are so thankful when you can come out a theater with something you can talk to the kids about. A movie you can the stuff on the way home are the next day.
Why is this film important for Hispanic Culture?
Guillermo del Toro: A Film is like a banquet and the more food you have from all over the world the better the banquet is. To limit the storytelling to single way of telling the story is why 80 to 90 percent of the animated movies all end up the same.
This movie is on apologetically Latin, Mexican.
How do you hope to inspire Non Hispanics to embrace this holiday?
Jorge R. Gutierrez: We believe the message of the day of the dead is very universal. This idea that as long as we tell the stories of those that are not here, as long as we sing their favorite songs and cook their favorite dishes, we tell their jokes, we keep them around and we keep them in our hearts. The moment we forget their names, the moment we forget them, then they really are gone. I think it really is a universal idea.
Guillermo always quotes Hitchcock where he says in order to be universal you have to be very specific. Our movie is very, very specific to Mexico and the messages and the emotions and the human stories are universal.
The Book of Life is now in theaters!
How exciting that you got to do this awesome interview. So lucky! MY kids are going to love this movie.