Sergei Eisenstein
Eisenstein spent a large amount of time with Charlie Chaplin. Chaplin recommended that Eisenstein meet American socialist author Upton Sinclair who Chaplin thought might help Eisenstein. Sinclair's works had been accepted by and were widely read in the Soviet Union, and were known to Eisenstein. The two liked each other's work. Between the end of October 1930, and Thanksgiving of that year, Sinclair had gotten an extension of Eisenstein's leave from the Soviet Union.  He also received permission for Eisenstein to travel to Mexico to make a movie to be produced by Sinclair and his wife, Mary Craig Kimbrough Sinclair.  They joined with three other investors to make the Mexican Film Trust.