Oscars: Mexico's film academy selects 'Cantinflas' for Foreign-Language Category

The film "Cantinflas" is a biopic about iconic comedian Mario Moreno. 

"Cantinflas" will be looking to make history as Mexico's first winner in the foreign language category. The untold story of Mexico's greatest and most beloved comedy film star of all time, from his humble origins on the small stage to the bright lights of Hollywood.

Sebastian del Amo’s "Cantinflas" is an ambitious biopic that attempts to tell the life story of the pioneering Mexican comic actor while dramatizing a crucial week in the career of producer Michael Todd in his attempt to wrangle an international cast for his big Hollywood production, "Around the World in 80 Days." 

Anyone who’s familiar with Mexican cinema (or TV shows for that matter,) knows who Cantinflas was, but not many people know the real story behind the character. This movie, directed by Sebastián del Amo, tells the sentimental story about an actor who began his career in a most unlikely way: sweeping the stages of ambulatory theatres or “carpas” as they called them in Mexico back in the day. Mario Moreno wasn’t looking for much, but if he had to be a boxer or a bullfighter to earn a living, he was always willing to try. With this film we get to see how he found a gift within himself, what he did with it and how it landed him in Hollywood.