Oscars 2018
The Shape of Water by Guillermo del Toro: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Music Score and Best Production Design.
So incredibly proud for "mi Totoro", I have been a fan of his movies thanks to my sisters for years, always proud of what he has become, for his accomplishments and for being so proud of being Mexican, just as me and all my paisanos. Today the Oscars brought to Mexico and Latin America a big joy, not only for having Guillermo sharing a great success with all of the world, but for all the other mexicans who took part of the event: Gael García Bernal, Natalia Lafourcade and Eugenio Derbez. (Edit: Forgot to mention Eiza González! My bad). All mexicans who had a dream and made it happen, while working to get a place in a very hard field for anyone who isn't part of the standards.
Coco: Best Animated Feature Film and Best Original Song.
And this film. Not made by mexicans but inspired by one of the most wonderful and my personal favorite holiday: el Día de Muertos. Through their movie they showed to everyone who saw it a bit of our culture, and that's something I'm thankful for. Also my little nephew's big love: if you ask him, he'll say his name is Miguel, and yes, of course, absolutely, he has the guitar! I even have a video of him singing Remember Me in front of all his aunties and mom tearing up.
So, as you may guess, this all means a lot to us. From having enjoyed a film made by a mexican and a film inspired by mexicans, to think about how special it is to see people from your country in an international event, speaking your own language, celebrating the way you celebrate, while receiving the recognition they deserve. I can't do but say... Wow. This truly was a fantastic day. If I was just a little closer to CDMX I wouldn't be writing this but celebrating at El Ángel de la Independencia with my compatriotas.
I have always always been proud of where I was born, but today I'm having one of those moments when I can't keep it inside any longer. None of these are my accomplishments, I know that, but these people show me and all of us that you can do it, that you can reach the sky if you put your mind to it, that you can have a voice in a world that tries so damn hard to shut you up, to pretend you don't exist. They're not only using their own voice to shout ¡Viva Mexico!, they are giving us one and to the people they portray in their movies: the minorities, the oppressed, all those who need to work hard everyday for others to remember they are human too.
But time's up. And these, here, are just some examples of what I hope is yet to come.
Enhorabuena, Memo, eres grande y siempre lo has sido, pero por fin todos en el mundo se están dando cuenta. Y a los creadores de Coco, millones de felicitaciones y un agradecimiento infinito por permitirnos a los mexicanos compartir un poco de nuestra cultura con el mundo. "Los tontos construyen muros, los inteligentes construyen puentes". Y hoy, ustedes han sido sabios.
¡Que todos se enteren que México está de fiesta!