Director Alejandro González Iñárritu will speak about his experiences in the movie industry as the keynote speaker at the Harvard-Westlake Film Festival on March 15, 2013.

Iñárritu became the first Mexican director to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director for his film Babel in 2006. Babel also received a nomination for Best Picture.

“He came to a video art class once before and was great so we’ve been trying to get him to come for years,” Co-Director of the Film Festival Natalie Markiles ’13 said. “So, we wrote him a letter.”

Iñárritu (Maria Gonzalez ’13) was set to come to the Film Festival last year but had to pull out last minute due to a sudden appendicitis. Director Benicio Del Toro delivered the keynote speech in his place.

Along with other industry professionals, Iñárritu will continue to teach about movie-making at an event the day after the festival for all the students involved in the winning films.

“He is a self-made man,” Co-Director Rebecca Moretti ’13 said. “He relates to these students and can give them advice. He is very charismatic and I think he will be inspiring to the kids at the festival.”