Proactive Mexican Twitter Users Are Saying #NotoCensorship of the Satirical Film ‘The Perfect Dictatorship’ · Global Voices
J. Tadeo

Image shared by the producers of the film “The Perfect Dictatorship“
Mexicans are rallying on Twitter in support of a film called “The Perfect Dictatorship” from director Luis Estrada under the hashtag #NoALaCensura (No to Censorship) for fear that the release of the biting satire of Mexico's politics could encounter resistance from authorities.
The full-length film focuses on the abuse of power in managing the media and the use of video scandals (like the recent case of a video showing Mexican politicians with exotic dancers) by Mexico's politicians to hit at their rivals. Starring Damián Alcázar and Joaquín Cossío, it tells the story of a Mexican governor who will stop at nothing to win the presidency and the pact he makes with the country's most powerful television network to get there.
The plot mimics real life: critics of Mexico's current administration accuse President Enrique Peña Nieto of having been put into power by the true powers that be, among them the most important television company in the country.
Filmmaker Estrada is known for critiquing the country's political system through satire. His last film, “El Infierno,” about the Mexican authorities’ war on drug cartels, was classified “C” (only for adults), limiting the number of moviegoers who could see it in theaters. In a budding democratic country like Mexico, any expression that is critical of the ruling class is met with a certain amount of resistance and at times censorship.
Alternative news portal Pijamasurf called “The Perfect Dictatorship” “moving and funny.” The film premieres on October 16, Revolution Three Point Zero reported. The alternative news website also drew parallels between the scandals shown in the film and actual political scandals, “such as Vicente Fox's statement that ‘Mexicans would do the work that black people don't even want to do,’ or the Bejarano case.”
The Bejarano case refers to the widely shared video in which René Bejarano, from the Party of the Democratic Revolution (the political group in the majority at the Mexican capital), appears to receive bundles of bills, presumably part of an act of corruption.
On Twitter, users defended the film. Alfredo Vera wrote:
La Dictadura Perfecta! #NoALaCensura Esperemos y salga la película en el tiempo que tienen planeada sacarla.
— Alfredo Vera (@alfredo_verag) August 25, 2014
The Perfect Dictatorship! We hope the movie comes out in the time frame they have planned.
Mrs Grey mentioned the Twitter accounts of some of the actors who make up part of the cast:
Por un cine que habla con la verdad #NoAlaCensura #LaDictaduraPerfecta @DamianAlcazar @Daltontony @ponchohd @silvnavarro
— Mrs Grey (@AnniedeGrey) August 25, 2014
For film that speaks with truth. #NoAlaCensura #LaDictaduraPerfecta @DamianAlcazar @Daltontony @ponchohd @silvnavarro
User Bartola predicted the movie's success:
Lo siento por los críticos de cine, lo siento por los defensores del sistema, pero #LaDictaduraPerfecta pinta para un hitazo #NoALaCensura
— Bartola (@estalunaloca) August 22, 2014
I'm sorry for the film critics, I'm sorry for the defenders of the system, but The Perfect Dictatorship looks like it's going to be a big hit.
Mauricio Yoav RR asked President Peña Nieto to not censor the film:
“Cualquier parecido con la realidad, es mera coincidencia” #LaDictaduraPerfecta Sr. Presidente @EPN #NoALaCensura pic.twitter.com/L1BdgXVDdQ
— Mauricio Yoav RR (@MAURICIOYOAV) August 22, 2014
“Any resemblance to reality is mere coincidence”, Mr. President.
“The Perfect Dictatorship” is a production of Bandidos Films. Its title, according to the production notes, is taken from a quote from Peruvian Mario Vargas Llosa, written in 1990:
La dictadura perfecta… es México. Porque es una dictadura de tal modo camuflada que llega a parecer que no lo es, pero que de hecho tiene, si uno escarba, todas las características de una dictadura.
The perfect dictatorship… is Mexico. Because it is a dictatorship camouflaged in such a way that it ends up not looking like one. But if you dig around, you find it does in fact have all the characteristics of a dictatorship.