Alejandro González Iñárritu on Re-Cutting ‘Bardo’ Into a ‘Tightened’ Film and Why Some Modern Cinema ‘Lacks Soul’

variety.com:

Greg Wetherall Guest Contributor Alejandro González Iñárritu has bemoaned modern cinema’s prioritization of style over substance.

Taking to the stage in London for a wide-ranging discussion about his career so far, the two-time best director Oscar winner said: “I don’t care about the quality of things.

When I see young filmmakers, I’m very connected to the way they express themselves. Nowadays, a lot of things look beautiful but there’s a lack of soul.” The filmmaker expressed that audience expectations have shifted, too, saying he believes it is unlikely his “demanding” 2003 film “21 Grams” could be made today. “I don’t know if we could have made that film today,” he said, “because audiences would be very irritated by it.

People need to be fed by the hand so much more [than they did].” “Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths” is the director’s first film since his Leonardo DiCaprio-starring “The Revenant” in 2015.