For years, American depictions of Latin Americans have been reduced to a number of stereotypes about their values, their behaviors and their legal statuses.

While many stories have drawn on the reality of the Latin American experience in America, few have actually sought out how to express them in truly rich and nuanced means.

"Buen Dia, Ramon," a film directed by Mexican auteur Jorge Ramirez Suarez, the director of such films as "Rabbit on the Moon" and "Amar," is a film that hits on many of the similar themes explored in other Latin American films, but he constantly seeks to subvert the genre conventions. The result is a film brimming with authenticity and warmth that few other films in the "Latin American" drama genre have managed.

The director recently spoke with Latin Post about his experience in creating "Buen Dia, Ramon," his inspirations, his dislike of violence in cinema and shooting his next film in five countries.

Latin Post: What was the inspiration for "Buen Dia, Ramon?"

Jorge Ramirez Suarez: I have lived in numerous countries. I was born in Mexico, I lived in the U.S. for a bit, and I have lived in Germany for many years now.

In Germany, I met two people that inspired me. First, I met two young guys that were around Ramon's age, maybe 18 or 19. They were Latinos and lived in Germany like Ramon -- illegally and just trying to survive. For me, it was rather shocking because it is very rare to see that in Germany. They told me that an old man helped them and rented a room for them and their main goals were to send money to their families. So that made me realize that a story like this could happen.

And I also met a woman, who like the character Ruth, lived alone, loved to helped people and lived through World War II. For me it was important to tell the story of friendship between two generations, two nationalities, two languages. That was my inspiration.

After that I wrote the script, which took me a long time.

LP: Why did you choose Germany as your setting?

JRS: I live in Germany. I was inspired to show modern-day Germany. I think there is a very distorted perspective of the country because of the war and its past.

It has a lot of problems like other countries, but it is a truly beautiful place. There are wonderful people, like the woman I mentioned. Obviously, there are some people who aren't so nice, like some people I showed in the film, but you see that everywhere. People who love immigrants and people who don't.

LP: The film garnered strong reactions in Latin America. How excited are you about releasing it in the U.S. after such a successful run across Latin America?

JRS: I am very happy with the reception it had in Mexico and Latin America. Now it comes to the U.S., and I am anxious to see how it does. It also comes out in Germany in the upcoming week.

Honestly, I was truly shocked by the reaction that it garnered so far. I did not expect the laughing and crying I saw at screenings. It was such a small film, but then it became a hit. I'm hoping for the same in the U.S. if possible, though I know it is coming out in even smaller release here.

From what I have seen in L.A. and Miami, the reaction was great.

I am so proud and happy that 20th Century Fox took on the film and is distributing it. It took me five years to make this film from the writing of the script to the financing and the actual filming of it.

LP: What was the experience of working with the cast? 

JRS: I was thrilled to have had Kristyan Ferrer on the film. He is such a sensitive young man with a great future ahead of him and tremendous talent. And of course the rest of my cast was wonderful. From Adriana Barraza to Aracelia Ramirez to Ingeborg Schoner, they are all wonderful.

LP: One of the things that were interesting were the fact Ramon never understands German and never manages to communicate directly with others in their language. In fact, he only communicates through friendship and common humanity. Did you have a similar experience when you went to Germany for the first time?

JRS: It was a little different for me. I was legal and I spoke English. Speaking English in Germany makes life a lot easier. I didn't speak German at that point, but I learned.

I didn't have the same experience as Ramon, who obviously never learns to fully grasp the language, but I do remember that when I first went to Germany I was looking for a specific street. I got lost and made a phone call asking for the directions, and they asked me where I was. So I looked at a sign and saw "Einbahnstrasse." The guy on the other side laughed at me and said, "Einbahnstrasse means one way."

So in that way I can relate. I basically became illiterate at that point. I didn't understand anything.

I think there are millions of people in the world who live in countries in which they can't speak the language and are all alone before they meet people that help them survive and build their lives. I think it is a process that everyone, on some level, has experienced and that is why people connect to it so much.

LP: This film accomplishes a great deal. It is one of the most original in tackling its subject. But in the context of your own films, it is also the most family friendly. Why did you choose to make a film with this tone after more violent or controversial films such as "Rabbit on the Moon" and "Amar?" 

JRS: The truth is that with those two films, especially with "Amar," which had a lot of sex, it limited the exposure of the films. That's something I learned along the way.

But this film didn't need that. "Rabbit on the Moon" was a political thriller and needed the violence.

"Ramon" demanded non-verbal communication and emotion. For that I didn't need violence or sex.

LP: I noticed that you even refused to show the violence of the gangs in the early sections of the film.

JRS: Exactly. I feel that so many films have showed it already and I don't think that it was important.

I wanted to take Ramon out of the stereotype. I think that a lot of Mexican filmmakers and even the government automatically associate youth with being criminals. The common perception is that they are all drug dealers.

And yes there is a lot of violence and crime, but it is a minority in respect to the general population. There are good people who refuse to become criminals, and I wanted to frame Ramon as one of those people.

And with regards to the violence, it is there and you know about it. So there is no point to seeing it. It is not necessary.

I am honestly sick of violence. I see it a lot in so many films and sometimes I feel like people think that if there is no violence, then it is not a film. I think that violence in cinema is becoming . . . what's the word?

LP: A cliché?

JRS: Exactly. People think that if there is no violence, it won't sell. I disagree.

LP: What is your favorite scene in the film?

JRS: Since I started writing the script, I always felt that the scene that I connected most with was the dinner scene in which Ramon and Ruth are having dinner and they speak to each other in their own languages. They don't understand each other verbally, but they understand each other through emotions.

I love the scene because I think it is the most emotional one in the film. And audiences are connecting to it more than any other scene as well. I constantly get messages on Facebook about how it was their favorite scene. It is the one that they remember most.

LP: What is your next project and what is it about?

JRS: It doesn't have a title yet but I am currently financing it. It tells the story of a Mexico who is living abroad. Since his youth, he has been a journalist, and for numerous reasons, he is forced to leave his daughter. So this film is about his reunion with her. I want it to be another emotional one.

It takes place in five countries. It starts off in Mexico and Germany. Then we are shooting some in Northern Africa and in the U.S. It is also set in Somalia, but we will be shooting those scenes in Mexico.

I am hoping that if everything goes according to plan, we are shooting at the end of this year.