the theme of “xenophobia is a very important part” of the film, explains director Steven Spielberg

“Xenophobia is a very important part of West Side Story”, explained Monday, December 6 the American director Steven Spielberg on France Inter, while his adaptation of the musical comes out Wednesday in France. “We believe that the public is ready to discover the relevance of its original creators today”, while the first performance took place 64 years ago on Broadway.

West Side Story version Steven Spielberg, just like the original version features a young woman of Puerto Rican origin and a young boy of Polish origin who love each other while they are both from the Jets and the Sharks, both rival gangs from 1950s New York. The Latino community has been the target of many xenophobic attacks in history by their opponents, who say “no longer recognize their city” and affirm “no longer be at home”.

A situation that finds an echo in the current situation: “The reason we made our film is because children are being arrested and put in cages on the border between Mexico and the United States. It happened while we were filming West Side. Story. Every day, we woke up to this bad news and we said to ourselves that our message was more and more relevant. “

Steven Spielberg also insisted that the members of the Puerto Rican clan be played exclusively by actors from the community of this territory, which was not the case in the first film adaptation in 1961. “It’s inclusive and it’s also a way to recognize this vibrant culture that inspires us so much around the world.” He adds that “Our times demand of us to be much more honest with our own values. It was up to us to ensure that no one could play a ‘Shark’ if they were not from Puerto Rico.”, he concluded.