The Perfect Dictatorship
| The Perfect Dictatorship | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Spanish: La dictadura perfecta | |
| Directed by | Luis Estrada |
| Produced by | Luis Estrada |
| Written by |
Luis Estrada Jaime Sampietro |
| Starring |
Damián Alcázar Alfonso Herrera Joaquín Cosío Dagoberto Gama María Rojo Salvador Sánchez |
| Cinematography | Javier Aguirresarobe |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Bandidos Films |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 143 minutes |
| Country | Mexico |
| Language | Spanish |
| Box office | over US$14 million (Mexico) |
The Perfect Dictatorship (Spanish: La dictadura perfecta) is a 2014 Mexican comedy political satire film, written, produced and directed by Luis Estrada and starring Damián Alcázar, Alfonso Herrera, Joaquín Cosío, Dagoberto Gama, María Rojo and Salvador Sánchez. Cast also includes Osvaldo Benavides, Saúl Lisazo, Tony Dalton, Arath de la Torre, Sergio Mayer and Itatí Cantoral. It was released on October 16, 2014, and it will represent Mexico at the 2015 Goya Awards.[1][2]
The film title is a reference of one of the quotes by Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa that he used to describe the continuous governments of the Institutional Revolutionary Party.[3]
Plot
After an international faux pas goes viral, the Mexican Government urges Television Mexicana, the most powerful Mexican television corporation, to create a media distraction. Television Mexicana discloses a scandalous story involving Governor Carmelo Vargas (Damián Alcázar) in serious crimes and illicit business. Governor Vargas, worried about his political future, decides to clean his image and negotiates a secret agreement with Television Mexicana. Carlos Rojo (Alfonso Herrera), an ambitious young news producer, and Ricardo Diaz (Osvaldo Benavides), a TV network star reporter, are responsible for changing the public image of the corrupt Governor, with the objective of turning him into a political star and presidential candidate.
Cast
- Damián Alcázar as Governor Carmelo Vargas
- Alfonso Herrera as Producer Carlos Rojo
- Joaquín Cosío as Opposition Leader
- Osvaldo Benavides as Ricardo Díaz
- Silvia Navarro as Lucía Garza
- Flavio Medina as Salvador Garza
- Saúl Lisazo as TV MX news anchor
- Tony Dalton as Director of TV MX
- Salvador Sánchez as X Man
- Enrique Arreola as Government Secretary
- Arath de la Torre as Government Speaker
- Dagoberto Gama as Mexico's Attorney General
- Noé Hernández as Chief of Security
- Sonia Couoh as Nana
- María Rojo as Doña Chole
- Luis Fernando Peña as El Chamoy
- Gustavo Sánchez Parra as El Charro
- Sergio Mayer as the President of Mexico
- Hernán Mendoza as El Mazacote
- Livia Brito as Jazmín
- Itatí Cantoral as Lucrecia
- Roger Cudney as Ambassador of the United States
Reception
The film has grossed over US$14 million in Mexico.[4]
Awards and nominations
Ariel Awards
The Ariel Awards are awarded annually by the Mexican Academy of Film Arts and Sciences in Mexico. La Dictadura Perfecta received 10 nominations.[5]
| Year | Nominee/work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | La Dictadura Perfecta | Best Picture | Nominated |
| Luis Estrada | Best Director | Nominated | |
| Best Original Screenplay | Nominated | ||
| Jaime Sampietro | Nominated | ||
| Santiago Núñez, Pablo Lach and Hugo de la Cerda | Best Sound | Nominated | |
| Mariana Rodríguez | Best Film Editing | Nominated | |
| Salvador Parra | Best Art Direction | Nominated | |
| Felipe Salazar | Best Makeup | Nominated | |
| Mariestela Fernández | Best Costume Design | Nominated | |
| Alejandro Vázquez | Best Special Effects | Nominated | |
| Adriana Arriaga | Best Visual Effects | Nominated | |
References
- ↑ Caballero, Jorge (15 October 2014). "Se estrena 'La dictadura perfecta', una mirada a las entrañas del poder". La Jornada. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ↑ "Selección para los premios Goya 2015". El Universal. 12 September 2014. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ↑ "Vargas Llosa: "México es la dictadura perfecta"". La Jornada. 2 December 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
- ↑ Scott Roxborough (2014-12-22). "Box Office: 8 International Hits That Challenged the Studio Tentpoles". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2014-12-22.
- ↑ "Lista completa de nominaciones a los premios Ariel 2015" (in Spanish). Morelia International Film Festival. April 13, 2015. Retrieved October 20, 2016.