'Neruda' Film: Gael García Bernal Discusses His Character In Movie About Chilean Poet's Life

Gael Garcia Bernal attended the 69th Cannes Film Festival, where he presented the movie "Neruda" in the Director's Fortnight selection (an independent section held in parallel to the festival). At the star-studded event, Bernal opened up about his role in the movie, which is based on the adventurous life of the Chilean writer Pablo Neruda.

"My character is clearly right wing and a little bit fascist, he is a proto-fascists who has accepted the defeat of the Second World War and he is envious and resentful to poets," explained Bernal in an interview with Xinhua. In the movie, Bernal portrays a policeman who is in charge of capturing and arresting the renowned poet (portrayed by Luis Gnecco). "He is son of a prostitute and he is very gentle with women," added Gael of his role in the flick. "He could play the misogynist but he was born in the outskirts and the poetry of Neruda didn't get to him," he said.

The Golden Globe-winning Mexican actor and director also discussed his relationship with the the movie's director Pablo Larrain. "I feel very free with him. I'm very open in terms of film projects," he said. "With Pablo Larrain, I feel like we were made for each other, because he is a very free filmmaker and I enjoy being on set with him and trying out new things," he stated, adding that humor is also part of their work relationship and friendship.

As explained by the makers, the movie will not present an ordinary bio. Instead, it will follow the Chilean poet’s life from 1946 to 1948, a period where he joined the Communist Party, only to later become a senator who was against the imprisonment of striking miners, for which he was threatened with arrest and became a fugitive.

Other members of the cast include Pablo Derqui, Mercedes Morán and Alfredo Castro, following a script penned by Chilean writer Guillermo Calderón. In addition to premiering at the 69th Cannes Film Festival, "Neruda" will also be looking to close a U.S. distribution deal at Cannes.