Amat Escalante, a self-taught Mexican filmmaker, grew up in the Mexican city of Guanajuato and in Los Angeles, California. At last yearâs Cannes Film Festival, Escalante won the âBest Directorâ award, becoming the fourth Mexican director to do so behind Luis Buñuel, Alejandro GonzĂĄlez Iñårritu and Carlos Reygadas.