Only God knows how much he worked
14 September 2006

Diego: “There is a scene in Sólo Dios Sabe where the character talks with God about all the things that have happened to him, like the death of his mom. And though Diego is not the one speaking, it was an opportunity to extract everything that I was bringing. This is the principal gift that this movie gave me, in addition to knowing a country as beautiful as Brazil, which like an idiot I had not visited earlier. I think Brazil is a country that we have much to learn about, and the language should not separate us so much.”

Diego Luna thinks that Sólo Dios Sabe allows the spectator to wonder if really is where he wants to be. Have you asked yourself about this also?
Diego: “Yes, every moment I stop to see what I am doing and if I am in the place I want to be. I did it for the first time when I realized that I was going all over and working everywhere, in movies that I did not necessarily have to do and accepted simply for the fact of working non-stop. Now I wanted to give myself a little vacation to return to Mexico, make a home and there has arisen in me the need to lay down roots here.”

Nevertheless, despite the intense work load, Diego cannot deny that this is his life.
“In these reflections I have also come to the conclusion that this is what it makes to me happy, especially for the time here I do just what I want to do, which is a gift, a luck that not everyone can boast of having.”

Was it very difficult for you to obtain these privileges?
Diego: “To say that it cost me a lot would be arrogant, because there are people who do not obtain everything in their life. Of course, it’s also necessary to be ready and to be there to make use of things. Fortunately, I’ve known what I want to be since I was a boy and this gives you an advantage over the rest, because there are many that make a career and later realize it is not really what they like. Since I was 16 years old I realized what I was searching for in life and that's why I now enjoy what I have.”

That is in the professional plane, but what is there of the personal plane?
Diego: “On a personal level I am like everyone else, you go through many moments. I cannot tell you that I am the happiest man, but now I am where I want to be and who I want to be with. Life has peaks and valleys all the time, but I have risked everything to be happy and believe it’s been worth while, because in these times I feel happy.”

During the special premiere of the film Diego referred to the political situation of Mexico as a historical fact without precedents. What reading do you give to this situation?
Diego: “I think it is something very sad. I believed I had idea of what was happening, but suddenly I feel lost. I feel that I do not understand anything. It’s as if it was a zoo and they suddenly opened the cages and all the animals were leaving. Earlier there was a very corrupt order, but an order at last. We were used to that. We were the generation of the PRI impunity, but now everyone is against everyone and the only thing that does not exist is order. Nobody dares to say it affected what our institutions are and what deep damages are in this country. It seemed that nobody wants to really see the gravity of things... It’s alarming the country we have nowadays.”

To what do you attribute this attitude of the people?
Diego: “I think it’s because the conflicts that we know more about are at a personal level. They are power struggles and there is no President who is going to solve the damages of this country, for that requires a lot of time. So that there is really change in this country it’s necessary to make a strong investment in education and eradicate the poverty. Until that occurs, nothing will happen. But in politics they all only go for their own little 100 meter medal and this is the longest marathon.”

The outlook is quite distressing in this sense...
Diego: “I hope God knows what the solution is, for the prompt thing I believe that cinema can be very important in this time. So many things are happening in
Mexico and the entire world, so quickly, that cinema and documentary (films) can have a chance to speak about it, take photos of it and be able to reflect in the face of that.”

While this happens, Diego Luna will take a break away from the cinema screen to rest from the emotional exhaustion that represents the interpretation of such diverse characters as those he’s done in the last years.
“I’m not going to make cinema for now. I have other very personal projects. I must finish my documentary and another small thing that’s cooking. I need time to forget, in order to remember who I am, because I am finishing doing two of the most intense characters that I’ve done in my life and I need a breather, so I’m going to give myself that. The emotional drain is major every time. It’s like a party, that when it becomes bigger, the hangover is stronger and stronger.”

Lastly, to express question on the comments that AB Quintanilla made about the Mexicans, Diego warned that he was not able to give an opinion
“because you are presenting this gentleman to me now, I don’t know who he is. For me, I like to speak about foreigners that I know and I don’t know him.”

Keys
“Every moment to stop and see what I’m doing and if I am in a place that I like. I did it for the first time when I realized that it was going and working everywhere, in movies that I did not necessarily have to do and that I was accepting simply for the fact of working non-stop.”

Translated from:
http://www.milenio.com/mexico/hey/nota.asp?id=436082