El Infierno has a better box office record than Estrada’s most recent film. (Bandidos Films)
Luis Estrada is a Mexican filmmaker who has always signed his productions with high political and social criticism. His work has become a case of study and discussion by different sectors of the population, in addition to portraying widespread discontent against the political class and its behavior. All this generates expectation and is reflected in the box office.
Estrada at 61 years old has a long career in Mexican cinema, however, it was not until 1999 when he started his productions in which he served as writer and director.
In his filmography are Herod’s Law (1999), A Wonderful World (2006), Hell (2009), The Perfect Dictatorship (2014) and Long live Mexico (2023). The previous works brought him great recognition and were part of the conversations, however, now we will review his figures.
Really ‘Long live Mexico!’?
The premiere of Que viva México on movie screens was carried out by Sony Pictures, after its exclusive transmission through Netflix, the production company that was responsible for the film, was suspended. Sony’s management made it premiere nationally on 3,254 screens (a sum of about 500 more than John Wick 4), considering that there are 7,500 movie screens throughout the country, according to CANACINE data.
With this penetration, overwhelming figures were expected, but apparently this is not being achieved. There can be many factors, the criticism from the government that feels alluded to, the criticism from the media that has not been kind to the result of Estrada and that is facing big spring premieres of the season from Hollywood.
Despite the great campaign and the expectation of the film, it has not been able to position itself among the 40 highest grossing releases in the history of cinema made in Mexico.
‘The Perfect Dictatorship’ prevailed
We can say that those were different times, that the readings were different, whatever, but in 2014 La Dictadura Perfecta had a major premiere, almost like a Hollywood blockbuster. In its first weekend it achieved 55.57 million pesos, which gave it a privileged position as the second-best premiere in Mexican cinema in history. This work that portrayed the way in which the media influence public opinion and plant politicians in a manner. Undoubtedly, the critics gave them a great boost, in addition to the fact that the public did their part by going to the theaters. In sum, it achieved more than 185 million pesos, it was the highest grossing Mexican film of its year.
Infierno came in September 2010, this crude film became a great cultural phenomenon, this open reference to contemporary drug trafficking rarely seen among the national cinema audience.
Estrada’s supporters were the main protagonists: Damián Alcázar, Joaquín Cosío, Elizabeth Cervantes and María Rojo, among others. This had a timid debut with 7.9 million pesos for its first weekend. Although the recommendation from person to person made them climb to more than 83 million pesos.
Que Viva México has already been on display for two weeks, adding 753.7 thousand attendees and totaling 51.7 million pesos, only 25.9 considered in the period from March 27 to April 2. This week it went from 3rd to 4th most viewed movie in Mexico, however, the arrival of family movies like Super Mario Bros will probably further displace Estrada’s film.
Source: Expansion
