I’m obviously late in posting this, but last night Revenant director Alejandro G. Inarritu spoke strongly and very critically about Donald Trump‘s anti-Mexican-immigrant rhetoric. He did so as a guest of honor at the annual Los Angeles County Museum of Art & Film gala. Here’s the best part:

Alejandro G. Inarritu, wife Maria Eladia Hagerman at last night’s LACMA gala.

“Unfortunately, there are currently people proposing [that] we build walls, instead of bridges. I must confess that I debated with myself, [wondering] if I should bring up this uncomfortable subject tonight. But in light of the constant and relentless xenophobic comments that have been expressed recently against my Mexican fellows, it is inevitable.

“These sentiments have been widely spread by the media without shame, embraced and cheered by leaders and communities around the U.S. The foundation of all this is so outrageous that it can easily be minimized as an SNL sketch, a mere entertainment, a joke. But the words that have been expressed are not a joke. Words have real power; and similar words in the past have both created and triggered enormous suffering for millions of humans beings, especially throughout the last century.

“If we continue to allow these words to water seeds of hate, and spread inferior thoughts and unwholesome emotions around the world to every human being, not only will millions of Mexicans and Latin American immigrants be in danger, but immigrants around the world now suffering, will share the same dangerous fate.

“There is no human being who, as a result of desiring to build a better life, should be named or declared illegal, and be dispossessed or considered disposable.

“I would rather propose to call these people Undocumented Dreamers, as were most of the people who founded this country. By naming them that, we can instead start a real and human conversation for a solution with the most precious, forgotten, and distinguished emotion a human being can have — compassion.”