This past Tuesday, a group claiming to be local authorities assaulted and robbed crewmembers working on the set of Alfonso Cuarón’s latest production over permit issues. The untitled film is Cuarón’s first to be shot in Mexico since his 2001 drama “Y Tu Mamá También.” Cuarón was not on set at the time of the attack.
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In a statement from the production, Espectáculos Fílmicos El Coyúl says that the crew was working with “official permits from the Film Commission of Mexico City” and that the attack was “not a ‘simple fight’ like the authorities have reported.” He goes on to say that the response of the Cuahutémoc District was immediate and positive after they filed the complaint and that it is “alarming that union workers from the Cuahutémoc District will attack and assault citizens that are legally doing their jobs.”
Cuarón won the Oscars for Best Director and Best Film Editing in 2014 for his film “Gravity.” He has previously been nominated for three Oscars for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Film Editing for “Children of Men” and Best Original Screenplay for “Y Tu Mamá También.”
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Read the full letter below:
Yesterday, Tuesday, November 1, 2016, while members of our production team were working at the location of José María Iglesias Street in the Tabacalera community with official permits from the Film Commission of Mexico City, they were assaulted by workers of the Cuahutémoc District. It was not a “simple fight” like the authorities have reported, it was assault and there were people injured: two women were hit; five of our crew members were taken to the hospital; and phones, wallets and jewelry were stolen.
After we filed the complaint, the response of the District was immediate and positive. We hope that the district authorities will keep their promise and help compensate for the stolen items, as well as bringing those responsible to justice.
At the moment, we are not worried about our team’s safety. However, it is alarming that union workers from the Cuahutémoc District will attack and assault citizens that are legally doing their jobs.
We are very grateful to all the neighbors from José María Iglesias Street for giving us their support and help to the affected crew members.
Respectfully,
Espectáculos Fílmicos El Coyúl
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