Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu Quotes

Powerful Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu for Daily Growth

About Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Alejandro González Iñárritu (born August 15, 1963) is a Mexican film director and screenwriter known for his innovative storytelling and exploration of complex human emotions in contemporary society. Born in Mexico City to working-class parents, Iñárritu's early years were marked by financial struggles. However, his passion for cinema was ignited when he saw Steven Spielberg's 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,' an experience that inspired him to become a filmmaker. Iñárritu began his career as an assistant director and scriptwriter in Mexican telenovelas before making his directorial debut with the 1994 film 'Amores Perros.' The success of this gritty, multi-layered drama opened doors for him, leading to international collaborations. In 2000, Iñárritu released 'Amores Perros' sister film, 'Los Tallentes,' and followed it up with '21 Grams' (2003) and 'Babel' (2006), both part of the critically acclaimed 'Death Trilogy.' These films were characterized by their non-linear narratives, ensemble casts, and exploration of themes like fate, love, and loss. In 2014, Iñárritu achieved unprecedented success with 'Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance),' a black comedy that blurred the lines between reality and fiction. The film won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Iñárritu. In 2016, he released 'The Revenant,' a survival drama starring Leonardo DiCaprio, which also earned multiple awards, including the Best Director Oscar for Iñárritu. Iñárritu's work is deeply influenced by his experiences and the complexities of modern life. His films are noted for their visual style, emotional intensity, and thought-provoking narratives, making him one of the most significant contemporary filmmakers.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself."

This quote suggests that personal growth, fulfillment, and identity are not predetermined or discovered passively, but rather constructed actively through our experiences, choices, and actions. Essentially, it encourages the idea that we have the power to shape our own lives by creating ourselves in the image we aspire to be. This perspective emphasizes personal agency and the importance of self-directed development over mere self-discovery.


"The problem is not the problem. Your attitude toward the problem is the problem."

This quote suggests that our response to a situation or problem, rather than the problem itself, often determines our level of distress or success in resolving it. In other words, if we approach a problem with a negative, resigned, or defeatist attitude, we may find it insurmountable. Conversely, adopting a positive, creative, and resilient mindset can help us overcome seemingly difficult challenges. So the real challenge lies in our ability to manage our thoughts and emotions about the problem at hand.


"Cinema is a religion of reality."

Alejandro González Iñárritu's quote, "Cinema is a religion of reality," suggests that filmmaking, much like religion, seeks to provide an understanding and interpretation of the world around us. In this context, "reality" refers not just to physical existence but also to the human condition, emotions, and experiences that make us who we are. For Iñárritu, cinema serves as a platform for exploring the complexities and truths of reality, allowing audiences to connect with and learn from stories that resonate deeply. It is a means of capturing and sharing the raw, unfiltered essence of life in a way that transcends language and culture. Thus, cinema becomes a form of spiritual exploration, offering insights into the human experience beyond what can be gleaned from everyday observations.


"I have found that fear can be a great ally, it can push you to places you never thought possible. Fear can also be a powerful obstacle if you let it get in the way."

This quote by Alejandro González Iñárritu suggests that fear can serve as both a motivator and an inhibitor. When harnessed constructively, fear can propel individuals towards achieving goals they never thought possible, as it often triggers the desire to overcome challenges. However, if left unchecked, fear can become an impediment, preventing one from taking risks or seizing opportunities that might lead to personal growth and success. The key takeaway is understanding how to transform fear into a positive force, rather than letting it hold us back.


"I think what's most interesting about life is not how it ends, but how it's lived. I think that the real meaning of life is to find a way to live it with passion and enthusiasm every single day."

This quote by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu suggests that the true essence of life lies not in its conclusion, but in the experiences we amass throughout our journey. He encourages us to approach each day with zest and passion, implying a focus on living intentionally, fully, and meaningfully rather than solely dwelling on the destination or outcome of life. In essence, Inarritu invites us to savor the process of life itself.


It's not anthrax or terrorism or AIDS that is the worst ill in our world: The most horrible disease in the world is hate.

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Disease, Ill, Anthrax, Our World

When you do a film in a foreign language, you know there's a cost in it, that you know, unfortunately, the audiences of foreign language films have not been cultivated. There's a market, but the market has been reduced, unfortunately, and you know that when you're making a foreign language film, you're making a choice.

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Making, Been, Films, Cultivated

Life and death are illusions. We are in a constant state of transformation.

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Death, Constant, State, Transformation

When you see things upside down, the ego can be extraordinarily funny; it's absurd. But it's tragic at the same time.

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Ego, Down, Same Time, Absurd

As a city, it is always compelling. But every day in Mexico City, I give thanks that I am alive.

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Give, Alive, Always, Mexico

Nowadays, a critic has to watch 700, 800 films a year, and I know through experience, being a juror in prestigious film festivals where supposedly the best films are arriving, from twenty films maybe you see two that are good, one that is so-so, and one that is extraordinary. And the other sixteen are terrible.

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Through, Other, Supposedly, Sixteen

The creative process is mysterious; a conversation, a ride in the car, or a melody can trigger something.

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Car, Process, Melody, Trigger

Fear of the unknown is a great creative partner.

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Great, Creative, Partner, Unknown

Antonio Sanchez is from Mexico City. I met him at a Pat Metheny concert. He did a solo, and I thought, 'This is an octopus man!'

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

City, Thought, Pat, Octopus

The corporation and the hedge funds have a hold on Hollywood, and they all want to make money on anything that signifies cinema.

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Money, Want, Hollywood, Funds

I have dark skin. My nickname is El Negro. They call me El Negro in Mexico because even in my country, the dark skin is evidence of Indian blood, a sign that one technically belongs to a third class. Even my grandmother had some kind of differentiation with me, because I was darker than my siblings.

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Country, Some, Evidence, Differentiation

The cavemen, when they saw the antelopes, they had to scratch them on to the caves because they needed to express the immediacy of what they were being affected by - and I love that. That is why I do what I do. I need to express myself.

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Love, Need, Caves, Scratch

In my work I think what drives me is perfection. I'm a chronically unsatisfied guy.

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Think, I Think, Chronically, Unsatisfied

We are the only alive creatures that are mortals; the animals are immortal, which is why they live stupidly. We are the only creatures that know that we will die, but that is a gift. It's important because we know we have to take advantage and squeeze life and understand why we're here in the first place.

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Gift, Die, Here, Mortals

Two words guided the making of 'Babel' for me: 'dignity' and 'compassion.' These things are normally forgotten in the making of a lot of films. Normally there is not dignity because the poor and dispossessed in a place like Morocco are portrayed as mere victims, or the Japanese are portrayed as cartoon figures with no humanity.

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Compassion, Two, Figures, Dispossessed

When I talk about sad things, I talk about sad things.

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Sad, Things, About, Sad Things

I started off writing TV adverts. I saw those as rehearsals for a feature film.

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

TV, Feature Film, Feature, Rehearsals

I have a notebook, and I know what decisions will be made in pre-production. Everything is pre-determined in the pre-production period. I visually design the whole thing, and I know when things will happen.

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Will, Happen, Period, Pre-Production

Good directors don't answer questions with their work. They generate debate and create discussion.

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Work, Debate, Answer, Generate

I think we do good things and bad things, sometimes simultaneously - or they may be the same thing.

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Think, Bad, I Think, Simultaneously

I really didn't want to become branded as 'that multistructural guy.'

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Want, Guy, Really, Branded

Cannes or any other major festival is basically an animal in its own nature, creating very specific perceptions of films in a moment.

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Other, Very, Films, Perceptions

The way America sees Mexico, if they have any sense of it, is like Taco Bell. Our countries are neighbors, and the only hard food to get in America is true Mexican. It's impossible to find, even in L.A. Why is that?

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Impossible, Mexican, Why, Bell

Movies become art after editing. Instead of just reproducing reality, they juxtapose images of it. That implies expression; that's art.

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Art, Expression, Images, Implies

As the camera, I try to subordinate every word to be truthful and honest to each character's context.

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Character, Subordinate, Context

I like so many different directors: Scorsese, Coppola, Cassavetes, Jarmusch, Gus van Sant, Woody Allen and the greats like Fellini, Bergman, Tarkovsky and among current filmmakers von Trier, Ang Lee, Wong Kar-wai.

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Directors, Scorsese, Allen, Coppola

All of us want something in life, all of us have flaws, and all of us have strengths. So, I always try to discover those things in a character and then try to expose it in one way or another.

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Discover, Want, Always, Flaws

The problem with the screenplay is that it's not literature, and it's not a film. It's a very weird, technical kind of blueprint that will be absolutely transformed into something else that is not that, you know? Honestly, a screenplay is no literature.

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Very, Technical, Honestly, Blueprint

I began to learn about the camera and the actors. That gave me a lot of the skills. At the same time, advertising gives you a lot of vices, for example, an obsession for a superficial look, but at the same time, it gives you the capacity to synthesize the story - tell a story in one minute.

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Advertising, Tell, About, Vices

I really try, at least consciously, not to be cynical or ironic.

- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Try, Ironic, Least, Cynical

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