In cinema, even the sky has no limits. Director Dr Biju shares the unforgettable experience of meeting and befriending acclaimed Hollywood–Mexican filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu at the Telluride Film Festival in the United States.

Meeting a cinematic legend

Telluride is a beautiful mountain town, and no matter who you are — even invited guests — you must queue to watch a film. Directors and technical crew are allowed to enter without queuing when their own film is screening. Otherwise, no matter how famous a personality, you have to stand in line.

The day after the screening of The Way Home, I was standing in a long queue in the chilly evening weather of Telluride, waiting to watch a film. Suddenly, someone joined the queue nearby — someone who seemed very familiar. Curious, I asked Gus, the host assigned to assist me during the festival, as to the identity of the person. “That’s Alejandro González Iñárritu,” Gus replied.

There stood one of my all-time favourite directors — the man who made some of my dearest films like Babel, Amores Perros, and 21 Grams, and the recipient of countless accolades including Cannes, BAFTAs, and Oscars. I told Gus I’d love to meet him, and he kindly introduced me to Iñárritu.

An evening walk that felt like a dream

Iñárritu had only arrived at the festival that morning. After a brief conversation, he said, “I liked the synopsis of your film. I’d really like to watch it. But the screening’s over now. If you have a DVD, do give me one — I’ll watch it later.”

I handed him the DVD I had with me. Meanwhile, the queue began moving forward. But before we could get in, the theatre filled up.

“Well, we didn’t get to watch the film,” he said. “If you are free, let’s go for a walk, Biju — and maybe grab a tea or coffee at a café.”

It felt like a dream — to be invited for a walk and coffee by a director I deeply admire.

We walked through the soft mist from the theatre to the town, sharing personal stories and thoughts on cinema. Once in town, we stopped at a small café and had coffee together. Iñárritu mentioned he had never visited India, and expressed interest in exploring both India and Kerala.

As we parted, he said, “Let’s stay in touch by e-mail. I’ll write to you after I watch your film.” Then he put his arm around me, gave me a warm hug, and said, “Move forward with courage. In cinema, even the sky has no limits. You can make wonders.”

It was one of the most unforgettable days of my life. True to his word, after watching The Way Home, he sent me an e-mail. Over time, we continued to share occasional updates via e-mail.

A confidential casting request

In July 2018, after a long gap, I received an unexpected e-mail from Alejandro. He began by saying: “Let this be between the two of us.” He was looking for a suitable Indian actor for a role in his upcoming film. He described the character’s physical features and asked me to recommend someone if I knew a fitting match.

It was surreal — one of the world’s leading directors reaching out to me for help with casting a role in his film. Over the next few days, I suggested a few names from the Malayalam film industry. But for some reason, the project was eventually shelved.

Even now, we occasionally exchange e-mails. Meeting Iñárritu, and being encouraged by him, continues to give me great confidence in my journey ahead. His words still echo in my mind like a guiding mantra: “You can make wonders.”