Acclaimed film director Guillermo del Toro called out the maker of Victoria beer for using his image and those of characters in his films on beer cans without his permission.
The filmmaker denounced Victoria beer in a tweet on Thursday and urged the company to donate the profits earned from sales of the beer to young students competing in math and robotics competitions.
“Very poorly done, @VictoriaMX. These cans do not have my authorization, my consultation or my signature to use my image or my name . . .” he said.
Victoria, made by Grupo Modelo, responded by admitting that it had made a mistake.
“We would never take liberties with something like this, @RealGDT. We are reviewing where the wires got crossed. Apart from this, we will continue to support Mexican talent as we have done up to now,” tweeted the company.
Victoria beer was one of the sponsors of Del Toro’s At Home with my Monsters, an exhibition featuring over 900 objects the Oscar-winning director has used in the making of his films, such as costumes, notebooks, drawings and personal objects.
The exposition was on display at the University of Guadalajara Art Museum (MUSA) from June 1 to November 3 of this year.
The beer can collection features three specially designed cans, one featuring the director’s face, and the other two featuring monsters from his films Pan’s Labyrinth and The Shape of Water.
They were designed by illustrator Guy Davis, and are to be sold in convenience stores in Mexico City, Jalisco, San Luis Potosí, Michoacán and México state.
Sources: Milenio (sp), El Financiero (sp)
