Añorve: Film Production in Acapulco Has Not Fallen Off

(Acapulco, ElSur 10 August) Acapulco Mayor Manuel Añorve Baños responded to a report in yesterday’s newspapers that film productions in Acapulco had fallen off because of fears of violence. Today he said that was untrue. He said that within the last year Acapulco has hosted film crews to make 100 commercials for various products, 70 films and various recordings of sporting events and musical concerts. “Our agenda for filming projects is full,” he said, “for the next serial soap operas, commercials and films.”

Responding specifically to a report that a detachment of marines was observed surrounding a film crew, the mayor said that the film was being made by TV Azteca for the Navy Department, and the marines were there because they were part of the subject of the film, and not as some sort of heightened security, as had been reported. He added that the municipal government is always glad to help film production crews with their projects, and sometimes that involves security and traffic control, and “we do it without charging them one peso, different from other tourist destinations.”

The mayor mentioned specifically and ad for Lincoln automobiles last year, which showed off the natural beauty of the port city. Over the weekend episodes of the soap opera “Una Familia con Suerte” were filmed in Acapulco by Televisa, and “universities are always coming to film documentaries,” the mayor added. National Geographic and Fox Sports have filmed events in Acapulco within the last year.

In a separate interview, Acapulco’s secretary for tourism promotion, Érika Lührs, clarified that TV Azteca is filming a series called “La Teniente” (the female lieutenant), and for that reason, they are using several hundred military as extras in the production, most of them stationed at the VIII Naval Region base in Acapulco.