In Radical, Mexican superstar Eugenio Derbez plays Sergio, a teacher in a neglected Mexican school who deploys unorthodox pedagogical methods, throwing the typical curriculum out the window despite skepticism from administrators, corruption from local officials and the life-threatening obstacles faced by his young charges.
After winning the festival favorite award at Sundance a year ago, the film screened in theaters last fall, and now distributor Participant has released a special featurette, an interview with Derbez as well as the real-life teacher and star student behind the story, in conversation with Oscar-nominated actress Yalitza Aparicio – who earned her own teaching credentials just before landing her big break in Roma.
The film – which Derbez also produced through his banner 3Pas – marks the beloved funnyman’s first time as a dramatic lead, and he explained to Aparicio how he was able to make the transition. “Before starting to film I felt that pressure and said, ‘My God, let’s see if I don’t throw my career overboard,’” he said. “But the comedian has the ‘obligation’ to be funny all the time. It happens to me: You have to be funny on stage, on the street, people find you in the supermarket, in the elevator, and want you to make them laugh. You always have to be smiling for the audience, on and off stage, and that makes you carry a sadness that you hide for years. Which is why when you have the opportunity to do drama, you let out everything you have kept inside.”
For his part, Sergio Juárez Correa, the actual teacher who was first profiled in a 2013 Wired story that eventually led to Radical, appreciated the challenge being taken on by one of his favorite childhood stars. “I grew up watching his programs, [classic roles like] El Lonje Moco, El Super Portero. We would always laugh,” he said. “So [when I found out] he was going to play the role of a teacher, I said, ‘how difficult.’ Because in the classroom, you have many facets. The children’s stories are so shocking that they hurt you. But I was there on the set and it shocked me. I said, ‘There I am.’”
Correa’s classroom in the humble border city of Matamoros received nationwide attention because he not only dramatically improved his students’ test scores from mostly failing – he took them to among the highest in Mexico, none moreso than Paloma Noyola, the daughter of a scavenger who earned the highest math score in the nation.
Now in her 20s and working in the educational field herself, Noyola reflected on seeing her childhood experiences dramatized in a new film since originally becoming a media sensation a decade ago. “At the time I was very young, so I had some problems with being exposed, with the media, with everything,” she told Aparicio. So my first thought was ‘no’ out of fear, but I consulted with my family and prayed over it and I think it was one of the best decisions I have made. So many children, adolescents, young people write to me and tell me what a beautiful example I am and so many things that fill my heart. I am very happy that I was able to have this purpose. They invited us to the filming, and to be able to see a little of the story being told through other people is like living it again.”
Watch the Radical trailer below, followed by the roundtable.
