First Look: Jonás Cuarón Creates Fantastically Magical World in New Film Chupa

The things we experience as children oftentimes leave us with formative memories that take us into adulthood. From the films we watch to the stories we hear, the things we consume have the power of staying with us.

For Jonás Cuarón, the fabled and somewhat terrifying story of the chupacabra, which was prevalent throughout the '90s, was a story that captivated him growing up. From Puerto Rico to Argentina to Mexico, the chupacabra was something that left its mark on Latin America.

Cuarón tells People en Español and People Chica, "I grew up in Mexico and out of all the stories that surrounded my childhood, I believe the chupacabra one is the one that left the [biggest] mark."

"I believe that what made this creature [so] magical and exciting was the fact that it was a new myth, it wasn't one of the same old monsters or legends that had been around for a while and no one thought was real. The fact that chupacabra was new and it was on the news made it much more realistic," he continued.

In an exclusive interview with People en Español and People Chica, Cuarón shares why he feels that his reimagining of the '90s urban legend in his new film Chupa was something the film landscape needed—we also get to see a first look at the film which premieres on Netflix on April 7.

Latin America is rich with stories and myths that transcend generations. Of all the stories that can be brought to the screen, why was this one that spoke to your heart as a director and storyteller? What was the creative process like for you?

I grew up in Mexico and out of all the stories that surrounded my childhood, I believe the chupacabra one is the one that left the [biggest] mark. Probably because of the chupacabra, the myth originated in the '90s when I was only 12 years old and I remember how the news would speak about this terrifying creature that was all over Latin America attacking goats and sucking their blood.

I believe that what made this creature [so] magical and exciting was the fact that it was a new myth, it wasn't one of the same old monsters or legends that had been around for a while and no one thought was real. The fact that chupacabra was new and it was on the news made it much more realistic. On the other hand, this is a film that reminded me very much of the films that I watched growing up, like E.T., Gremlins, and The Goonies. 

In this sense, a great part of the creative process was to learn to see the world through the eyes of a child, with that same magic and excitement that I experienced while watching those films in the past. In that sense getting to work with children, with the actors, was very neat because it was [like] rediscovering acting but through the innocence of those children.

In the film Chupa, we see a boy reconnecting with his family's roots. Why was it important for you to center the story on that of a child?

In that sense, it was very important that all of the film was told through the perspective of Alex. I believe that stories like E.T. works so well because having a child tell the story transports us to the imagination and magic that children possess of still believing that there are supernatural things in the world—that not everything is explained. In that sense, it was particularly important to me to tell this story through the eyes of Alex, a Mexican kid that is growing up in the U.S. because it was very interesting for me to try to see Mexican culture through the eyes of a child.

From inception to conclusion, creating a film can require much from a director. What is something you've learned about yourself through this process?

Making Chupa was a very long process, it took a couple of years, from the development of the story, the script, the rolling of the film which had a lot of challenges, and finally the special effects to create the magic of Chupa. Nevertheless, out of all the things that I learned, I learned the most about how to work with children, how to make a mythical creature, and a film with visual effects. 

I learned the most about [the] honesty and purity that children have. The truth is that the process with the actors was a beautiful one because they are great and actually putting it all out there, they are acting but at the same time, they are honest. Each time Evan [Whitten] had to deliver dramatic and painful scenes, he would actually cry, it was a very real cry and all of the emotions in the film were very real because children are completely transparent, even though they are performing they really are not, they are being themselves.

There is a sense of magical realism all throughout the film—something that is a key component of the film. Why do you feel that this kind of element adds so much to the storytelling process of myths and urban legends like that of the chupacabra?

I believe that what makes a mythical creature interesting is that it's obviously something supernatural, something we are not used to, but at the same time rooted in something real. It is in that sense that the chupacabra was a great myth because it surged in the '90s, all of the information that we have on the myth is based on newscasts that we saw on TV. And in this sense, it is why in the design of the creature, we tried to maintain that balance of a magical creature that we had never seen before, but also with traces of real animals—in things that already exist to generate that sense that this is something magical, but something that can truly exist.

Chupa taps into a story that speaks to the childhood of so many people across Latin America. How do you hope this will resonate with viewers once it premieres?

As mentioned already, the chupacabra is a myth that was very important for all of us in Latin America, especially those of us who grew up in the '90s. In that sense, it is very exciting for me to make something new out of this myth, and make a film that is for the whole family—an adventure full of humor, action, and a lot of emotions. And in that sense it makes me excited to be able to bring the Latin American public something like this, I grew up—as mentioned before with movies like E.T, which were very magical but did not represent my surroundings. Therefore the opportunity to be able to create a story this magical that takes place in Mexico is very exciting for me.

Why is Chupa a film you felt needed to be made in the current film landscape?

Personally, for me, it was important to make Chupa because I have two children, and it was exciting for me to make a film for them. Something that they can watch and connect with. My children were born in Mexico, but are now living in the U.S. and in that sense, Alex's experience was something that I can connect with. It's also very important nowadays to bring forth stories that picture the reality in Latin America, especially with platforms like Netflix, [which] are open to [telling] stories from all over the world. It's important to take part [in] this moment and tell stories about families, values, in particular those of Mexican culture and families.

Why is it important to you for there to be more positive Latino stories in mainstream media?

Yes, I think it's important to tell positive stories. Mexican culture is very diverse and complex, but it has a lot of important values. For me, it was very neat to show this through Alex's eyes.