(Credits: Netflix)

Pedro Páramo, a film based on a novel written by Juan Rulfo, has recently landed on Netflix. The film is Rodrigo Prieto’s directorial debut and was created with the help of a team of Mexican technicians and artists.

A huge amount of work went into the movie, as different sequences required different crews to work on every aspect, including designers, decorators, artisans, and extras. Pedro Páramo, while a huge undertaking, also stands as an example of how powerful and profitable cultural industries can be.

According to data recently published by Netflix, the film brought in over 375 million pesos to Mexico’s economy. This money was accumulated not only because of the money spent on the production itself but also because of spending that occurred through the supply chain. 

The scale of the production meant that the amount spent on hotels, food, and other local entertainment spots skyrocketed. For instance, consider that because of the number of technicians, set designers, and workers on the film in different regions of Mexico, 14,900 hotel nights were booked. Many extras were required to work on the film, too, and they also required payment. 

In order to meet the requirements for costume design for the movie, the department hired for the film ended up collaborating with different artists and tailors from various states around the country. They were required to make over 5,000 pieces of clothing, all of which had to be designed and made from scratch for the benefit of the film. 

The soundtrack also required a large ensemble. Because of how the movie is put together and the number of different sequences that need scoring, a band of over 30 musicians from different states was required to get the tone right. Artists from Mexico City, Chiapas, San Luis Potosi and Puebla were all involved.

Director Rodrigo Prieto recently discussed how he turned the iconic novel into a feature film. “For the filming, which took more than 50 days in the states of Nayarit and San Luis Potosi, and Mexico City, many exteriors were required,” he said, “Streets with specific characteristics, plazas, fondas, and the Media Luna, which is a very important place in the book.”

Netflix have also stood by the movie and confirmed it shows their commitment towards Mexico. Francisco Ramos, the Vice President for Latin America, highlighted this as they said, “There is no clearer way to prove Netflix’s commitment to Mexico, to its audiovisual industry, and to our members than with this film.”

They continued, “The impact that cultural industries have on society is enormous, not only because of the work itself, but also because of the spillover calculated in thousands of highly skilled and highly paid jobs.” 

Pedro Páramo is now streaming on Netflix.