By Lorraine Ali / Los Angeles Times
Director Alejandro G. Inarritu needed trusted voices to check out his first foray into dark comedy. The Mexican filmmaker was well-known for his serious dramas such as “21 Grams” and “Biutiful.” The satirical “Birdman,” however, was new territory.
So he did what he’s done dozens of times over his 20-year career. He called his old friends, fellow Mexican directors Alfonso Cuaron (“Gravity”) and Guillermo del Toro (“Pan’s Labyrinth”).
The trio came up as aspiring filmmakers in Mexico, each breaking cultural and language barriers with fiercely independent styles. Now in their early 50s, their astonishing success has informed the growing international culture of Hollywood, as well as the search for bold, original voices in cinema.