What's it like being accepted into Mexican film school and later direct a film that the country chooses to represent its filmmaking at the Academy Awards? My guest, Pierre Saint-Martin, can speak to that as well as a love for sound design and film noir cinematography.

The podcast begins its highlighting of international films nominated for the 98th Academy Awards with WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED (2024), Mexico's selection. The film was directed by an artist who is by turns thoughtful and proud of his work.

It can be seen in November at the Portland Latin American Film Festival, among other venues. Follow Pierre on Instagram to keep up with where the film will be screening.

The synopsis: "Socorro is a headstrong lawyer obsessed with finding the soldier who killed her brother during the 1968 student massacre in Tlatelolco, Mexico City. This need for justice masks an old guilt that has alienated her sister Esperanza and her son Jorge."

In this episode, Pierre and I discuss:

• the story behind WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED;
• the stunning story of how he got started in filmmaking;
• what film school is like in Mexico and what he had to do to get in;
• his work between film school and WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED;
• why the film should be seen in theaters, especially because of the sound;
• what the film's theatrical run was like in Mexico City;
• Mexico's choice of his film to represent the country for the 2026 Oscars and what he feels about the marketing campaign;
• what's next for him.

Pierre's Indie Film Highlight: SUJO (2024) dir. by Astrid Rondero; Fernanda Valadez; A BRIGHT FUTURE (2025) dir. by Lucía Garibaldi

Links:

Follow Pierre On Instagram

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