View source for Alfonso Cuarón

{{short description|Mexican filmmaker}}
{{Redirect|Cuarón|other people with the surname|Cuarón (surname)}}
{{family name hatnote|Cuarón|Orozco|lang=Spanish}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Alfonso Cuarón
| image              = Alfonso Cuarón at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival 2 (2).jpg
| caption            = Cuarón at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival
| birth_name         = Alfonso Cuarón Orozco
| birth_date         = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1961|11|28}}
| birth_place        = [[Mexico City]], Mexico
| alma_mater         = [[National Autonomous University of Mexico]]
| occupation         = {{hlist|Film director|film producer|screenwriter|cinematographer|film editor}}
| years_active       = 1981–present
| spouse             = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Mariana Elizondo|1980|1993|end=div}}
* {{marriage|Annalisa Bugliani|2001|2008|end=div}}
}}
| children           = 3, including [[Jonás Cuarón]]
| relatives          = [[Carlos Cuarón]] (brother)
| works              = [[Alfonso Cuarón filmography|Filmography]]
| awards             = [[List of awards and nominations received by Alfonso Cuarón|Full list]]
}}

'''Alfonso Cuarón Orozco''' ({{IPAc-en|us|k|w|ɑː|ˈ|r|oʊ|n}} {{respell|kwar|OHN}};<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.loc.gov/nls/about/organization/standards-guidelines/abcd/#c|title=Say How: C|publisher=[[National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped]]|access-date=17 October 2018|archive-date=7 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180507154056/http://www.loc.gov/nls/about/organization/standards-guidelines/abcd/#c|url-status=live}}</ref> {{IPA|es|alˈfonso kwaˈɾon|lang|Alfonso Cuarón - es-mx.ogg}}; born 28 November 1961) is a Mexican filmmaker. His accolades include five [[Academy Awards]], seven [[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 film)|A Little Princess]]'' (1995), and ''[[Great Expectations (1998 film)|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 (film)|Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]]'' (2004), the dystopian drama ''[[Children of Men]]'' (2006), the science fiction drama [[Gravity (2013 film)|''Gravity'']] (2013), and the semi-autobiographical drama [[Roma (2018 film)|''Roma'']] (2018). The latter two won him [[Academy Award for Best Director|Academy Awards for Best Director]]. He also won [[Academy Award for Best Film Editing|Best Film Editing]] for ''Gravity'' and [[Academy Award for Best Cinematography|Best Cinematography]] for ''Roma''.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/oscars-2019-cuarons-roma-wins-mexico-first-foreign-language-honor-1187807#:~:text=The%20director%20had%20already%20made,%2Dever%20foreign%2Dlanguage%20Oscar.|title= Oscars: Alfonso Cuaron's 'Roma' Wins Mexico Its First Foreign-Language Honor|website= The Hollywood Reporter|date= 24 February 2019|access-date= November 27, 2020|archive-date= 25 November 2020|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201125204454/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/oscars-2019-cuarons-roma-wins-mexico-first-foreign-language-honor-1187807#:~:text=The%20director%20had%20already%20made,%2Dever%20foreign%2Dlanguage%20Oscar.|url-status= live}}</ref>

==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.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Valdes |first1=Marcela |title=After 'Gravity,' Alfonso Cuarón Had His Pick of Directing Blockbusters. Instead, He Went Home to Make 'Roma.' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/13/magazine/alfonso-cuaron-roma-mexico-netflix.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220101/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/13/magazine/alfonso-cuaron-roma-mexico-netflix.html |archive-date=2022-01-01 |url-access=limited |access-date=26 February 2019 |work=[[The New York Times Magazine]] |date=13 December 2018}}{{cbignore}}</ref> He has a sister Christina, and two brothers; [[Carlos Cuarón|Carlos]], also a filmmaker,<ref>{{cite news|first1=Interviews: Beverley|last1=D'Silva|access-date=2019-12-23|title=Relative Values: Alfonso Cuaron and his brother Carlos|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/relative-values-alfonso-cuaron-and-his-brother-carlos-pmd9586dqjp|newspaper=[[The Sunday Times]]|date=18 October 2009|issn=0956-1382|archive-date=23 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191223152047/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/relative-values-alfonso-cuaron-and-his-brother-carlos-pmd9586dqjp|url-status=live}}</ref> and Alfredo, a conservation biologist.<ref>{{Cite web |last=EcoWatch |date=2015-09-11 |title=Alfonso and Alfredo Cuarón at 'Green Day Venice': Is Fiction Needed to Tell the Facts? |url=https://www.ecowatch.com/alfonso-and-alfredo-cuaron-at-green-day-venice-is-fiction-needed-to-te-1882095778.html |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=EcoWatch |language=en-US}}</ref> Cuarón studied philosophy at the [[National Autonomous University of Mexico]] and filmmaking at the [[Centro Universitario de Estudios Cinematográficos]],<ref name="filmquarterly">{{cite web|access-date=2019-12-23|title=Roma: Repatriation vs. Exploitation|url=https://filmquarterly.org/2019/06/07/roma-repatriation-vs-exploitation/|date=7 June 2019|archive-date=23 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191223135310/https://filmquarterly.org/2019/06/07/roma-repatriation-vs-exploitation/|url-status=live}}</ref> a school within the same university. There he met the director [[Carlos Marcovich]] and [[cinematographer]] [[Emmanuel Lubezki]],<ref name="filmquarterly"/> and they made what would be his first short film, ''Vengeance Is Mine''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The work of Alfonso Cuarón and Emmanuel Lubezki |url=https://moreliafilmfest.com/en/la-trayectoria-de-alfonso-cuaron-con-emmanuel-lubezki |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=moreliafilmfest.com |date=5 February 2014 |language=en}}</ref>

==Career==
===1990–1999: Rise to prominence ===
[[File:Alfonso_Cuarón_(1998).jpg|thumb|left|250px|Cuarón at the [[Festival Internacional de Cine en Guadalajara|Guadalajara International Film Festival]] in 1998.]]
Cuarón began working on television in [[Mexico]], first as a technician and then as a director. His television work led to assignments as an assistant director for several film productions including ''[[La Gran Fiesta]]'' (1985), ''[[Gaby: A True Story]]'' (1987) and ''[[Romero (film)|Romero]]'' (1989). In 1991 he landed his first big-screen directorial assignment, ''[[Sólo con tu pareja]]'', a sex comedy about a womanizing businessman (played by [[Daniel Giménez Cacho]]) who, after having sex with an attractive nurse, is fooled into believing he's contracted [[AIDS]]. In addition to writing, producing and directing, Cuarón co-edited the film with Luis Patlán.<ref>{{cite news|first1=A. O.|last1=Scott|access-date=2019-12-23|title=Sólo Con Tu Pareja - Review - Movies|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/20/movies/20solo.html|newspaper=The New York Times|date=20 September 2006|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=23 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191223142611/https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/20/movies/20solo.html|url-status=live}}</ref> 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 (American TV series)|Fallen Angels]]'', a series of [[neo-noir]] stories produced for the [[Showtime (TV network)|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]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://mubi.com/en/films/fallen-angels-murder-obliquely/cast|title= Fallen Angels: Murder, Obliquely (1993)|website= Mubi|accessdate= March 27, 2024}}</ref>

In 1995, Cuarón released his first feature film produced in the United States, ''[[A Little Princess (1995 film)|A Little Princess]]'', an adaptation of [[Frances Hodgson Burnett]]'s classic [[A Little Princess|1905 novel of the same name]]. The film received critical acclaim with [[Janet Maslin]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' declaring, "[the film] is a bright, beautiful and enchantingly childlike vision", one that "draw[s] its audience into the wittily heightened reality of a fairy tale" and "takes enough liberties to re-invent rather than embalm Miss Burnett's assiduously beloved story".<ref>{{cite web |last=Maslin |first=Janet |author-link=Janet Maslin |date=May 10, 1995 |title=Fairy Tale Doing a Child's Job: Reveling in Exuberant Play |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/05/10/movies/film-review-fairy-tale-doing-a-child-s-job-reveling-in-exuberant-play.html |access-date=2023-03-27 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> The film went on to receive two [[Academy Award]] nominations for [[Academy Award for Best Cinematography|Best Cinematography]] and [[Academy Award for Best Production Design|Best Production Design]].<ref>{{cite web |title=1996 Academy Awards |url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1996 |website=oscars.org |date=5 October 2014 |access-date=27 March 2024}}</ref> Cuarón's next feature was also a literary adaptation, a modernized version of [[Charles Dickens]]'s ''[[Great Expectations (1998 film)|Great Expectations]]'' starring [[Ethan Hawke]], [[Gwyneth Paltrow]], and [[Robert De Niro]]. The film received mixed reviews to negative reviews.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1081200-great_expectations|title= Great Expectations (1998)|website= [[Rotten Tomatoes]]|accessdate= March 27, 2024}}</ref> 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".<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.austinchronicle.com/events/film/1998-01-30/140314/|title= Great Expectations review|website= [[The Austin Chronicle]]|accessdate= March 27, 2024}}</ref>

=== 2000–2009: Career breakthrough and success ===
[[File:Alfonso_Cuarón_y_Clive_Owen_(Children_of_men).jpg|right|thumb|250px|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 ''[[Y tu mamá también]]'', starring [[Gael García Bernal]], [[Diego Luna]] and [[Maribel Verdú]]. It was a provocative and controversial road comedy about two sexually obsessed teenagers who take an extended road trip with an attractive married woman who is much older than they. The film's open portrayal of sexuality and frequent rude humor, as well as the politically and socially relevant asides, made the film an international hit and a major success with critics.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/25/movies/y-tu-mama-tambien.html|title= When 'Y Tu Mamá También' Changed Everything|work= The New York Times|date= 25 August 2021|accessdate= March 27, 2024|last1= Aguilar|first1= Carlos}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/y_tu_mama_tambien|title= Y TU MAMÁ TAMBIÉN|website= [[Rotten Tomatoes]]|accessdate= March 27, 2024}}</ref> The film was distributed through IFC in America allowing the film to collecte $13.8 million in the United States, unparalleled at the time for Latin American films.<ref>Alvaray, Luisela. 2008. "National, Regional, and Global: New Waves of Latin American Cinema." Cinema Journal 47 (3): 48-65. https://doi.org/10.1353/cj.0.0002.</ref> Critic [[Roger Ebert]] of ''[[The Chicago Sun-Times]]'' wrote, "It is clear Cuaron is a gifted director, and here he does his best work to date."<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/y-tu-mama-tambien-2002|title= Y Tu Mama Tambien|website= Rogerebert.com|accessdate= March 27, 2024}}</ref> Cuarón shared an [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]] nomination for [[Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay|Best Original Screenplay]] with co-writer and brother [[Carlos Cuarón]].

In 2004, Cuarón directed the third film in the successful ''[[Harry Potter (film series)|Harry Potter]]'' series, ''[[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)|Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]]''. Cuarón faced criticism at the time from some ''[[Harry Potter]]'' fans for his approach to the film, notably its tendency to take more creative liberties with the source material than its predecessors.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.cbr.com/harry-potter-prisoner-azkaban-adaptation/#:~:text=The%20Prisoner%20of%20Azkaban%20is%2C%20for%20many%2C%20the%20best%20Harry,in%20the%20best%20way%20possible.|title= Why Prisoner of Azkaban Remains Harry Potter's Most Polarizing Adaptation|website= CBR|date= 28 July 2023|accessdate= March 27, 2024}}</ref> However, author [[J. K. Rowling]], who had seen and loved Cuarón's film ''Y tu mamá también'', said that it was her personal favorite from the series so far.<ref>[http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/news_view.cfm?id=76 J.K. Rowling] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070204052946/http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/en/news_view.cfm?id=76 |date=4 February 2007}} Accessed 17 January 2007.</ref> Critically, the film was also better received than the first two installments, with some critics remarking its new tone and for being the first ''Harry Potter'' film to truly capture the essence of the novels.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/harry_potter_and_the_prisoner_of_azkaban/|title=Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|access-date=18 February 2020|archive-date=28 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928134022/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/harry_potter_and_the_prisoner_of_azkaban/|url-status=live}}</ref> It has been subsequently rated by audience polls and critics as the best of the movie franchise series.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/mar/17/harry-potter-first-light-award|title= Children vote Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban best film of decade|website= The Guardian|date= 17 March 2011|accessdate= March 27, 2024|last1= Child|first1= Ben}}</ref> The film earned two [[Academy Award]] nominations for [[Academy Award for Best Visual Effects|Best Visual Effects]] and [[Academy Award for Best Original Score|Best Original Score]] for [[John Williams]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2005|title= 77th Academy Awards|website= [[Academy Awards|Oscars.org]]|date= 5 October 2014|accessdate= March 27, 2024}}</ref>

In 2006, Cuarón's feature ''[[Children of Men]]'', an adaptation of the [[P. D. James]] [[The Children of Men|novel]] starring [[Clive Owen]], [[Julianne Moore]], and [[Michael Caine]], received wide critical acclaim including three Academy Award nominations. Cuarón himself received two nominations for his work on the film, in [[Academy Award for Best Film Editing|Best Film Editing]] (with [[Alex Rodríguez (film editor)|Alex Rodríguez]]) and [[Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay|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]]<ref>[http://esperantodocumentary.com/blog/an-interview-with-director-alfonso-cuaron Interview] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140702024121/http://esperantodocumentary.com/blog/an-interview-with-director-alfonso-cuaron |date=2 July 2014 }} by [[Sam Green]] with Cuarón.</ref>), which has credits in the films ''[[Temporada de patos|Duck Season]]'', ''[[Pan's Labyrinth]]'', and ''[[Gravity (2013 film)|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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://asansouthwestohio.blogspot.com/2009/09/autistic-community-condemns-autism.html|title=Autistic Self Advocacy Network, SW Ohio: Autistic Community Condemns Autism Speaks|last=Asansouthwestohio|date=23 September 2009|access-date=25 September 2009|archive-date=8 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708023950/http://asansouthwestohio.blogspot.com/2009/09/autistic-community-condemns-autism.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

===2010–present: Awards recognition ===
[[File:Alfonso_Cuarón,_President_jury_Venezia_72_(25805089406).jpg|thumb|250px|left|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 [[David Heyman]], with whom Cuarón worked on ''Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban''. Starring [[Sandra Bullock]] and [[George Clooney]], the film opened the [[70th Venice International Film Festival]] in August. The film was then released in America in October 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://insidemovies.ew.com/2012/05/14/sandra-bullock-gravity-2013|title=Movie News: Movie Reviews, Trailers, Photos - EW.com|access-date=14 June 2012|archive-date=3 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120703002030/http://insidemovies.ew.com/2012/05/14/sandra-bullock-gravity-2013/|url-status=live}}</ref> The film became a financial success, earning 723.2 million at the box office against a budget of 130 million.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl89622017/|title= Gravity|website= Box Office Mojo|access-date= November 27, 2020|archive-date= 14 November 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181114114644/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=gravity.htm|url-status= live}}</ref> The film also received many awards nominations. For the film, he received the [[Golden Globe Award]] in the category of [[Golden Globe Award for Best Director|Best Director]]. The film received ten Academy Award nominations, including [[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]] and [[Academy Award for Best Director|Best Director]]. Cuarón won for Best Directing, becoming the first Latin American to win the award,<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a26346517/who-is-alfonso-cuaron-roma-director/|title=Who Is Roma Director Alfonso Cuarón? You've Definitely Seen His Incredible Movies|magazine=[[Harper's Bazaar]]|date=February 23, 2019|access-date=February 25, 2019|archive-date=25 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190225225253/https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a26346517/who-is-alfonso-cuaron-roma-director/|url-status=live}}</ref> while he and [[Mark Sanger]] received the award for Best Film Editing.<ref name="Oscars search">{{cite web|url=http://awardsdatabase.oscars.org/|title=Academy Awards Search|publisher=[[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]]|access-date=February 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723203650/http://awardsdatabase.oscars.org/|archive-date=23 July 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:Alfonso Cuarón (2013) cropped.jpg|thumb|right|Cuarón in 2013]]


In 2013, Cuarón created ''[[Believe (TV series)|Believe]]'', a science fiction/fantasy/adventure series that was broadcast as part of the 2013–14 United States network television schedule on [[NBC]] as a mid-season entry. The series was created by Cuarón for [[Bad Robot]] and [[Warner Bros.]] Television. In 2014, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' placed him in its list of "[[100 Most Influential People in the World]]" – Pioneers.<ref>{{cite magazine| title = The 100 Most Influential People – Pioneers: Alfonso Cuarón| magazine = [[Time (magazine)|Time]]| url = http://time.com/70897/alfonso-cuaron-2014-time-100/| date = 23 April 2014| access-date = 2014-04-26| archive-date = 26 April 2014| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140426141042/http://time.com/70897/alfonso-cuaron-2014-time-100/| url-status = live}}</ref>

In May 2015, Cuarón was announced as the president of the jury for the [[72nd Venice International Film Festival]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.labiennale.org/en/cinema/news/11-05.html |title=Director Alfonso Cuarón President of the International Jury for the Venezia 72 Competition |date=11 May 2015 |access-date=11 May 2015 |work=Venice Biennale |archive-date=27 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150627182701/http://www.labiennale.org/en/cinema/news/11-05.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Alfonso Cuarón en Morelia.jpg|thumb|Alfonso Cuarón in [[Morelia International Film Festival]]]]
Production began in fall 2016 for Cuarón's eighth film, ''[[Roma (2018 film)|Roma]]'', a tale of a housekeeper for a middle class Mexican family in 1970s Mexico City, based on the life of his family's longtime maid, Liboria Rodríguez.<ref>{{cite news|first1=Guy|last1=Lodge|access-date=2019-12-23|title=Roma: why Alfonso Cuaron's Oscar frontrunner is a triumph|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/nov/27/roma-alfonso-cuaron-oscar-frontrunner-triumph|newspaper=The Guardian|date=27 November 2018|issn=0261-3077|via=www.theguardian.com|archive-date=23 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191223134321/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/nov/27/roma-alfonso-cuaron-oscar-frontrunner-triumph|url-status=live}}</ref> The project was produced by Cuarón, [[Gabriela Rodríguez (producer)|Gabriela Rodríguez]] and [[Nicolás Celis (film producer)|Nicolás Celis]] and starred [[Yalitza Aparicio]] and [[Marina de Tavira]] both of whom received [[Academy Awards|Oscar]] nominations. The film debuted at the [[75th Venice International Film Festival]], where it won the [[Golden Lion]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2016/film/news/alfonso-cuaron-new-movie-participant-media-1201855134/|title=Alfonso Cuaron Sets Mexican Family Drama as Next Film|last=Kroll|first=Justin|date=8 September 2016|work=Variety|access-date=11 December 2017|archive-date=28 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161028084334/http://variety.com/2016/film/news/alfonso-cuaron-new-movie-participant-media-1201855134/|url-status=live}}</ref> and was distributed to select Mexican and American theaters before its online release on [[Netflix]]. ''Roma'' was highly acclaimed upon release; among its accolades are two Golden Globes ([[Best Foreign Language Film|Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film]] and Best Director for Cuarón) and three Academy Awards (Best Director, [[Academy Award for Best International Feature Film|Best Foreign Language Film]], and [[Academy Award for Best Cinematography|Best Cinematography]] for Cuarón) out of a leading ten nominations.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2019-12-23|title=Netflix's 'Roma' wins three Oscars, including Best Director (but not Best Picture)|date=25 February 2019|url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/02/24/netflix-roma-oscars/|archive-date=16 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230316071301/https://techcrunch.com/2019/02/24/netflix-roma-oscars/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first1=Andrew|last1=Pulver|access-date=2019-12-23|title=Alfonso Cuarón wins Oscar for best director for Roma|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/feb/25/alfonso-cuaron-wins-best-director-oscar-for-roma|newspaper=The Guardian|date=25 February 2019|issn=0261-3077|via=www.theguardian.com|archive-date=23 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191223134319/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/feb/25/alfonso-cuaron-wins-best-director-oscar-for-roma|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2019, Cuaron signed an overall TV deal at [[Apple Inc.|Apple]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Otterson|first=Joe|date=2019-10-10|title=Alfonso Cuarón Sets TV Overall Deal at Apple|url=https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/alfonso-cuaron-sets-tv-overall-deal-at-apple-1203366172/|access-date=2020-12-13|website=Variety|language=en-US|archive-date=17 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417120558/https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/alfonso-cuaron-sets-tv-overall-deal-at-apple-1203366172/|url-status=live}}</ref> His first series for Apple was the psychological thriller ''[[Disclaimer (TV series)|Disclaimer]]'', starring [[Cate Blanchett]] and [[Kevin Kline]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Goldberg|first=Lesley|date=2021-12-01|title=Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline to Topline Alfonso Cuaron Apple Series 'Disclaimer'|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/cate-blanchett-kevin-kline-to-topline-alfonso-cuaron-apple-series-disclaimer-1235055329/|access-date=2021-12-02|website=The Hollywood Reporter|language=en-US|archive-date=9 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209120413/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/cate-blanchett-kevin-kline-to-topline-alfonso-cuaron-apple-series-disclaimer-1235055329/|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Style ==
Cuaron's style is a mix of several mainstream Hollywood conventions while breaking from that dominant influence by taking an unorthodox approach that uses voiceover narration and by unconventionally lengthy shots. These longer cuts, narration, and often, moving cameras are more typical of [[documentary film]].<ref name="vulture2013" /> 

In his first feature film the average shot length is around six seconds, and ten years later for ''Y, Tu Mama Tambien'' the average increased to 19.6 seconds.  ''The Prisoner of Azkaban'' had a more conventional average {{frac|5|1|2}} seconds, then the subsequent ''Children of Men'' had an extraordinary average of 16 seconds between cuts. A typical Hollywood movie cuts every two seconds.<ref>Udden, James. 2009. "Child of the Long Take: Alfonso Cuaron's Film Aesthetics in the Shadow of Globalization." Style (University Park,PA) 43 (1): 26-44.</ref>  Cuarón work in Hollywood at points his career shows mainstream Hollywood influences, which has spilled over to less mainstream films mode outside of Hollywood. ''Children of Men'' was influenced by disaster and science fiction movie conventions. ''The Prisoner of Azkaban'' was a continuation of Cuarón's take on the coming-of-age genre after ''Y, Tu Mama Tambien''.<ref>Baer, Hester, and Ryan Long. "Transnational Cinema and the Mexican State in Alfonso Cuarón's 'Y Tu Mamá También." South Central Review 21, no. 3 (2004): 150-68.</ref> That film is in the form of an American road movie, along with teen movie elements.<ref>Tierney, Dolores, "From Hollywood and Back: Alfonso Cuarón Adventures in Genre," in New Transnationalisms in Contemporary Latin America Cinemas (Edinburgh University Press, 2018), 76.</ref> Voice-over narration adds to those genres a documentary feel. The narration, interjected by a non-diagetic voice not belonging to any character, highlights the socioeconomic state of the not only main characters, but also minor characters who otherwise seem irrelevant to the overall narrative.

==Themes==
As mentioned above, the voice-over narration in ''Y Tu Mama Tambien'' contains political messages. In the aforementioned film Cuarón tackles Mexican identity and sovereignty. With the backdrop of the 1990s and the advent of NAFTA and neoliberalism in Mexico, Cuarón critiques Mexico for the path they are heading towards a globalized economy and world.<ref>Saldaña-Portillo, Maria Josefina. "In the Shadow of NAFTA: Y Tu Mamá También Revisits the National Allegory of Mexican Sovereignty." American Quarterly 57, no. 3 (2005): 751-77.</ref> Cuarón also addresses Mexican history such as colonialism and the long unfulfilled promises of the Mexican Revolution of 1910. Using the same film as an example the narrator states that a new political party is in power, but hints that no real change will come about. This is also supported with one of the main characters, Julio, sharing a last name with the Mexican Revolutionary Emiliano Zapata, yet the name does not push Julio into action or in other words he lacks the initiative and interest in the country.<ref>Hind, Emily “"Provincia in Recent Mexican Cinema, 1989-2004," Discourse 26, no. 1 & 2 (2004): 26.</ref> These same themes of identity and history, particularly of Mexico, were first addressed in his first feature film ''Solo con tu pareja''. In both films Cuarón uses allegory that ties into a national identity and/or history. On top of these themes he also tackles class, but that can be considered a subcategory of economics or politics in which he already grapples with.

==Personal life==
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]]''.<ref name="separation">{{cite news |title=Anuncia Cuarón separación matrimonial de su segunda esposa |url=http://www.cronica.com.mx/notas/2008/368822.html |access-date=21 December 2018 |work=La Crónica |agency=[[Notimex]]|date=23 June 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181221014235/http://www.cronica.com.mx/notas/2008/368822.html |archive-date=21 December 2018 |language=es }}</ref> Alfonso's second marriage, from 2001 to 2008, was to Italian actress and freelance journalist Annalisa Bugliani, with whom he has two children.<ref name="separation"/>

He has publicly shown his fascination for the Esperanto language and his support for the [[Esperanto movement]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Universal Language {{!}} An Interview with Director Alfonso Cuarón|url=http://esperantodocumentary.com/blog/an-interview-with-director-alfonso-cuaron.html|website=esperantodocumentary.com|access-date=2020-05-10|archive-date=21 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190221100221/http://esperantodocumentary.com/blog/an-interview-with-director-alfonso-cuaron.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He called his production company Esperanto Filmoj. In October 2023, Cuarón signed an open letter from artists to US President Joe Biden calling for a ceasefire of [[2023 Israel–Hamas war|Israeli bombardment in Gaza]].<ref>{{cite news |title='People are being penalised': Hollywood divided over Israel-Hamas conflict |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2023/dec/02/hollywood-divide-israel-gaza-conflict-susan-sarandon-cynthia-nixon |work=The Guardian |date=2 December 2023}}</ref>

Cuarón is a vegetarian<ref name="vulture2013">{{cite web | author = Dan P. Lee | work = [[New York (magazine)|New York]] | via = Vulture.com | url = https://www.vulture.com/2013/09/director-alfonso-cuaron-on-making-gravity.html | title = The Camera's Cusp: Alfonso Cuarón Takes Filmmaking to a New Extreme With Gravity | date = 22 September 2013 | access-date = 12 July 2015 | archive-date = 25 September 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130925035522/http://www.vulture.com/2013/09/director-alfonso-cuaron-on-making-gravity.html | url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{ cite web|url=https://www.loquetlondon.com/blog/sheherazade-goldsmith-vogue/ |title=Vogue Arts – Down to Earth |publisher=Loquet London |access-date=26 July 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212115303/http://www.loquetlondon.com/blog/sheherazade-goldsmith-vogue/ |archive-date=12 December 2013 |date=12 December 2013}}</ref> and has been living in London since 2000.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/feb/16/baftas-2014-alfonso-cuaron-best-director-award Baftas 2014: Alfonso Cuarón wins best director for Gravity | Film] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190405165824/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/feb/16/baftas-2014-alfonso-cuaron-best-director-award |date=5 April 2019 }}. theguardian.com. Retrieved on 2014-05-22.</ref>

==Filmography==
{{main|Alfonso Cuarón filmography}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+Directed features
! Year
! Title
! Distributor
|-
| 1991
| ''[[Sólo con tu pareja]]''
|rowspan=2| [[Warner Bros.]]
|-
| 1995
| ''[[A Little Princess (1995 film)|A Little Princess]]''
|-
| 1998
| ''[[Great Expectations (1998 film)|Great Expectations]]''
| [[20th Century Studios|20th Century Fox]]
|-
| 2001
| ''[[Y tu mamá también]]''
| [[IFC Films]]
|-
| 2004
| ''[[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)|Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]]''
| Warner Bros. Pictures
|-
| 2006
| ''[[Children of Men]]''
| [[Universal Pictures]]
|-
| 2013
| ''[[Gravity (2013 film)|Gravity]]''
| Warner Bros. Pictures
|-
| 2018
| ''[[Roma (2018 film)|Roma]]''
| [[Netflix]]
|-
|}

==Awards and nominations==
{{main|List of awards and nominations received by Alfonso Cuarón}}
<!--Table is for nominations & wins received only by films directed by Cuarón.-->

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Year
! rowspan="2" | Title
! colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" width=160| Academy Awards
! colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" width=160| BAFTA Awards
! colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" width=160| Golden Globe Awards
|-
! Nominations
! Wins
! Nominations
! Wins
! Nominations
! Wins
|-
|1995
|''A Little Princess''
|align=center|2
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|2001
|''Y tu mamá también''
|align=center|1
|
|align=center|2
|
|align=center|1
|
|-
|2004
|''Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban''
|align=center|2
|
|align=center|4
|
|
|
|-
|rowspan=1|2006
|''Children of Men''
|align=center|3
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|2
|
|
|-
|2013
|''Gravity''
|align=center|10
|align=center|7
|align=center|11
|align=center|6
|align=center|4
|align=center|1
|-
|2018
|''Roma''
|align=center|10
|align=center|3
|align=center|7
|align=center|4
|align=center|3
|align=center|2
|-
!colspan="2"|Total
!align=center|28
!align=center|10
!align=center|27
!align=center|12
!align=center|8
!align=center|3
|}

==See also==

* [[Esperanto Filmoj]]
* [[Cha Cha Cha Films]]
* [[Cinema of Mexico]]
* [[List of Academy Award records]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{IMDb name|0190859|Alfonso Cuarón}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080803230520/http://www.bafta.org/learning/webcasts/a-life-in-pictures-alfonso-cuaron,370,BA.html Alfonso Cuarón: A Life in Pictures], [[BAFTA]] webcast, 27 July 2007

{{Alfonso Cuarón}}
{{Navboxes
|title = [[List of awards and nominations received by Alfonso Cuarón|Awards for Alfonso Cuarón]]
|list = 
{{Academy Award Best Director}}
{{Academy Award Best Cinematography}}
{{Academy Award Best Film Editing}}
{{Academy Award Best Foreign Language Film}}
{{AACTA International Award for Best Direction}}
{{AARP Movies for Grownups Award for Best Director}}
{{Austin Film Critics Association Award for Best Director}}
{{Austin Film Critics Association Award for Best Adapted Screenplay}}
{{BAFTA Best Film recipients}}
{{BAFTA Award for Best Direction}}
{{BAFTA Award for Best Cinematography}}
{{British Society of Cinematographers Award for Best Cinematography in a Theatrical Feature Film}}
{{Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Cinematography}}
{{Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Director}}
{{Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Cinematography}}
{{Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Editing}}
{{Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Director}}
{{Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Cinematography}}
{{Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Editing}}
{{Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Director}}
{{Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Cinematography}}
{{Detroit Film Critics Society Award for Best Director}}
{{DirectorsGuildofAmericaAwardFeatureFilm}}
{{Empire Award for Best Director}}
{{Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director}}
{{Golden Globe Award for Best Director}}
{{Houston Film Critics Society Award for Best Director}}
{{Houston Film Critics Society Award for Best Cinematography}}
{{London Film Critics Circle Award for Director of the Year}}
{{Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Director}}
{{Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Cinematography}}
{{Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Editing}}
{{National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director}}
{{National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Cinematography}}
{{Nebula Award for Best Script/Bradbury Award}}
{{New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director}}
{{New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cinematographer}}
{{Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Director}}
{{Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Adapted Screenplay}}
{{Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Cinematography}}
{{Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Editing}}
{{Platino Award for Best Director}}
{{Platino Award for Best Screenplay}}
{{San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Director}}
{{San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director}}
{{San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cinematography}}
{{Satellite Award Best Director}}
{{Satellite Award Best Editing}}
{{Satellite Award Best Original Screenplay}}
{{Saturn Award for Best Director}}
{{Saturn Award for Best Editing}}
{{Seattle Film Critics Society Award for Best Director}}
{{Seattle Film Critics Society Award for Best Cinematography}}
{{St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Award for Best Cinematography}}
{{TFCA Award for Best Director}}
{{USC Scripter Awards — Film}}
{{Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director}}
{{Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Director}}
{{Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Cinematography}}
}}

{{Venice Film Festival jury presidents}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cuaron, Alfonso}}
[[Category:1961 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Best Cinematographer Academy Award winners]]
[[Category:Best Cinematography BAFTA Award winners]]
[[Category:Best Directing Academy Award winners]]
[[Category:Best Director AACTA International Award winners]]
[[Category:Best Director BAFTA Award winners]]
[[Category:Best Director Golden Globe winners]]
[[Category:Best Film Editing Academy Award winners]]
[[Category:Directors Guild of America Award winners]]
[[Category:Directors of Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award winners]]
[[Category:Directors of Golden Lion winners]]
[[Category:English-language film directors]]
[[Category:Fantasy film directors]]
[[Category:Filmmakers who won the Best Film BAFTA Award]]
[[Category:Filmmakers who won the Best Foreign Language Film BAFTA Award]]
[[Category:Film directors from Mexico City]]
[[Category:Hugo Award–winning writers]]
[[Category:Mexican cinematographers]]
[[Category:Mexican Esperantists]]
[[Category:Mexican expatriates in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Mexican film producers]]
[[Category:Mexican film directors]]
[[Category:Mexican people of Spanish descent]]
[[Category:Mexican screenwriters]]
[[Category:Mexican television directors]]
[[Category:Mexican television producers]]
[[Category:Mexican television writers]]
[[Category:National Autonomous University of Mexico alumni]]
[[Category:Nebula Award winners]]
[[Category:Science fiction film directors]]
[[Category:Spanish-language film directors]]
[[Category:Writers from Mexico City]]