Alfonso Cuarón

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Alfonso Cuaron
)
"Cuarón" redirects here. For other people with the surname, see Cuarón (surname).
In this
Spanish name, the first or paternal surname
is Cuarón and the second or maternal family name is Orozco.

Alfonso Cuarón
Cuarón in July 2013
Born
Alfonso Cuarón Orozco

(1961-11-28) 28 November 1961 (age 62)
Mexico City, Mexico
Alma materNational Autonomous University of Mexico
Occupations
  • Film director
  • film producer
  • screenwriter
  • cinematographer
  • film editor
Years active1981–present
WorksFilmography
Spouses
Mariana Elizondo
​
​
(m. 1980; div. 1993)​
Annalisa Bugliani
​
​
(m. 2001; div. 2008)​
Children3, including Jonás Cuarón
RelativesCarlos Cuarón (brother)
AwardsFull list

Alfonso Cuarón Orozco (

BAFTA Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards
.

Cuarón made his feature film debut with the romantic comedy Sólo con tu pareja (1991), and directed the film adaptations A Little Princess (1995), and Great Expectations (1998). His breakthrough came with the coming-of-age film Y tu mamá también (2001) which earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. He gained greater prominence for directing the fantasy film Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), the dystopian drama Children of Men (2006), the science fiction drama Gravity (2013), and the semi-autobiographical drama Roma (2018). The later two won him Academy Awards for Best Director. He also won Best Film Editing for Gravity and Best Cinematography for Roma.[2]

Early life and education

Cuarón was born in Mexico City, the son of Alfredo Cuarón, a doctor specializing in nuclear medicine, and Cristina Orozco, a pharmaceutical biochemist.[3] He has a sister Christina, and two brothers; Carlos, also a filmmaker,[4] and Alfredo, a conservation biologist.[5] Cuarón studied philosophy at the National Autonomous University of Mexico and filmmaking at the Centro Universitario de Estudios Cinematográficos,[6] a school within the same university. There he met the director Carlos Marcovich and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki,[6] and they made what would be his first short film, Vengeance Is Mine.[7]

Career

1990–1999: Rise to prominence

Guadalajara International Film Festival
in 1998.

Cuarón began working on television in

AIDS. In addition to writing, producing and directing, Cuarón co-edited the film with Luis Patlán.[8] The film, which also starred cabaret singer Astrid Hadad and model/actress Claudia Ramírez (with whom Cuarón was linked between 1989 and 1993) was a big hit in Mexico. After this success, director Sydney Pollack hired Cuarón to direct an episode of Fallen Angels, a series of neo-noir stories produced for the Showtime premium cable network in 1993; other directors who worked on the series included Steven Soderbergh, Jonathan Kaplan, Peter Bogdanovich, and Tom Hanks. The episode was entitled, "Murder, Obliquely" (1993) starring Laura Dern, Alan Rickman, and Diane Lane.[9]

In 1995, Cuarón released his first feature film produced in the United States,

Academy Award nominations for Best Cinematography and Best Production Design.[11] Cuarón's next feature was also a literary adaptation, a modernized version of Charles Dickens's Great Expectations starring Ethan Hawke, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Robert De Niro. The film received mixed reviews to negative reviews.[12] Russell Smith of The Austin Chronicle did however praise the film writing, ". What's truly intriguing about this film, though, is the stylishness with which Cuaron (A Little Princess) reinvents Dickens' hoary, often-remade tale. This Great Expectations has a seductive, enchanting feel that has nothing to do with sweet, gauzy sentiments or calculatedly “magical” Hollywood imagery".[13]

2000–2009: Career breakthrough and success

Cuarón and Clive Owen, who worked together on Children of Men.

In 2001, Cuarón found himself returning to Mexico with a Spanish-speaking cast to film

The Chicago Sun-Times wrote, "It is clear Cuaron is a gifted director, and here he does his best work to date."[16] Cuarón shared an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay with co-writer and brother Carlos Cuarón
.

In 2004, Cuarón directed the third film in the successful

Academy Award nominations for Best Visual Effects and Best Original Score for John Williams.[21]

In 2006, Cuarón's feature

Alex Rodríguez) and Best Adapted Screenplay
(with several collaborators).

He created the production and distribution company Esperanto Filmoj ("Esperanto Films", named because of his support for the international language Esperanto[22]), which has credits in the films Duck Season, Pan's Labyrinth, and Gravity. Cuarón also directed the controversial public service announcement I Am Autism (2009) for Autism Speaks that was criticized by disability rights groups for its negative portrayal of autism.[23]

2010–present: Awards recognition

Cuaron at the 72nd Venice International Film Festival

In 2010, Cuarón began to develop the film Gravity, a drama set in space. He was joined by producer

Golden Globe Award in the category of Best Director. The film received ten Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. Cuarón won for Best Directing, becoming the first Latin American to win the award,[26] while he and Mark Sanger received the award for Best Film Editing.[27]

In 2013, Cuarón created

100 Most Influential People in the World" – Pioneers.[28]

In May 2015, Cuarón was announced as the president of the jury for the 72nd Venice International Film Festival.[29]

Alfonso Cuarón in Morelia International Film Festival

Production began in fall 2016 for Cuarón's eighth film,

Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Director for Cuarón) and three Academy Awards (Best Director, Best Foreign Language Film, and Best Cinematography for Cuarón) out of a leading ten nominations.[32][33]

In 2019, Cuaron signed an overall TV deal at Apple.[34] His first series for Apple will be the psychological thriller Disclaimer, which is set to star Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline.[35]

Style

Cuarón often uses long takes and moving cameras to emulate a documentary film style.[36]

Personal life

Cuarón is a vegetarian[36][37] and has been living in London since 2000.[38]

Cuarón's first marriage was to Mariana Elizondo with whom he has a son, Jonás Cuarón, born in 1981. Jonás is also a film director, known for Year of the Nail and Desierto.[39] Alfonso's second marriage, from 2001 to 2008 was to Italian actress and freelance journalist Annalisa Bugliani, with whom he has two children.[39]

He has publicly shown his fascination for the Esperanto language and his support for the

Israeli bombardment in Gaza.[41]

Filmography

Main article: Alfonso Cuarón filmography
Directed features
Year Title Distributor
1991 Sólo con tu pareja Warner Bros.
1995 A Little Princess
1998 Great Expectations 20th Century Fox
2001 Y tu mamá también IFC Films
2004 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Warner Bros. Pictures
2006 Children of Men Universal Pictures
2013 Gravity Warner Bros. Pictures
2018 Roma Netflix

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Alfonso Cuarón
Year Title Academy Awards BAFTA Awards Golden Globe Awards
Nominations Wins Nominations Wins Nominations Wins
1995 A Little Princess 2
2001 Y tu mamá también 1 2 1
2004 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 2 4
2006 Children of Men 3 3 2
2013 Gravity 10 7 11 6 4 1
2018 Roma 10 3 7 4 3 2
Total 28 10 27 12 8 3

See also

References

  1. National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Archived
    from the original on 7 May 2018. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  2. ^ "Oscars: Alfonso Cuaron's 'Roma' Wins Mexico Its First Foreign-Language Honor". The Hollywood Reporter. 24 February 2019. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  3. ^ Valdes, Marcela (13 December 2018). "After 'Gravity,' Alfonso Cuarón Had His Pick of Directing Blockbusters. Instead, He Went Home to Make 'Roma.'". The New York Times Magazine. Archived from the original on 1 January 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  4. ISSN 0956-1382. Archived
    from the original on 23 December 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  5. ^ EcoWatch (11 September 2015). "Alfonso and Alfredo Cuarón at 'Green Day Venice': Is Fiction Needed to Tell the Facts?". EcoWatch. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Roma: Repatriation vs. Exploitation". 7 June 2019. Archived from the original on 23 December 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  7. ^ "The work of Alfonso Cuarón and Emmanuel Lubezki". moreliafilmfest.com. 5 February 2014. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  8. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived
    from the original on 23 December 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  9. ^ "Fallen Angels: Murder, Obliquely (1993)". Mubi. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  10. ^ Maslin, Janet (10 May 1995). "Fairy Tale Doing a Child's Job: Reveling in Exuberant Play". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  11. ^ "1996 Academy Awards". oscars.org. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  12. ^ "Great Expectations (1998)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  13. ^ "Great Expectations review". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  14. ^ "When 'Y Tu Mamá También' Changed Everything". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  15. ^ "Y TU MAMÁ TAMBIÉN". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  16. ^ "Y Tu Mama Tambien". Rogerebert.com. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  17. ^ "Why Prisoner of Azkaban Remains Harry Potter's Most Polarizing Adaptation". CBR. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  18. ^ J.K. Rowling Archived 4 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 17 January 2007.
  19. ^ "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  20. ^ "Children vote Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban best film of decade". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  21. ^ "77th Academy Awards". Oscars.org. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  22. ^ Interview Archived 2 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine by Sam Green with Cuarón.
  23. ^ Asansouthwestohio (23 September 2009). "Autistic Self Advocacy Network, SW Ohio: Autistic Community Condemns Autism Speaks". Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2009.
  24. ^ "Movie News: Movie Reviews, Trailers, Photos - EW.com". Archived from the original on 3 July 2012. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
  25. ^ "Gravity". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on 14 November 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  26. ^ "Who Is Roma Director Alfonso Cuarón? You've Definitely Seen His Incredible Movies". Harper's Bazaar. 23 February 2019. Archived from the original on 25 February 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  27. ^ "Academy Awards Search". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on 23 July 2008. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  28. ^ "The 100 Most Influential People – Pioneers: Alfonso Cuarón". Time. 23 April 2014. Archived from the original on 26 April 2014. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  29. ^ "Director Alfonso Cuarón President of the International Jury for the Venezia 72 Competition". Venice Biennale. 11 May 2015. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  30. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived
    from the original on 23 December 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019 – via www.theguardian.com.
  31. ^ Kroll, Justin (8 September 2016). "Alfonso Cuaron Sets Mexican Family Drama as Next Film". Variety. Archived from the original on 28 October 2016. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  32. ^ "Netflix's 'Roma' wins three Oscars, including Best Director (but not Best Picture)". 25 February 2019. Archived from the original on 16 March 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  33. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived
    from the original on 23 December 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019 – via www.theguardian.com.
  34. ^ Otterson, Joe (10 October 2019). "Alfonso Cuarón Sets TV Overall Deal at Apple". Variety. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  35. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (1 December 2021). "Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline to Topline Alfonso Cuaron Apple Series 'Disclaimer'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 9 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  36. ^ a b Dan P. Lee (22 September 2013). "The Camera's Cusp: Alfonso Cuarón Takes Filmmaking to a New Extreme With Gravity". New York. Archived from the original on 25 September 2013. Retrieved 12 July 2015 – via Vulture.com.
  37. ^ "Vogue Arts – Down to Earth". Loquet London. 12 December 2013. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  38. ^ Baftas 2014: Alfonso Cuarón wins best director for Gravity | Film Archived 5 April 2019 at the Wayback Machine. theguardian.com. Retrieved on 2014-05-22.
  39. ^ a b "Anuncia Cuarón separación matrimonial de su segunda esposa". La Crónica (in Spanish). Notimex. 23 June 2008. Archived from the original on 21 December 2018. Retrieved 21 December 2018.
  40. ^ "The Universal Language | An Interview with Director Alfonso Cuarón". esperantodocumentary.com. Archived from the original on 21 February 2019. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  41. ^ "'People are being penalised': Hollywood divided over Israel-Hamas conflict". The Guardian. 2 December 2023.

External links

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