On 8 Feb we went to a private screening of ROMA.
This was a visually enchanting film which was quite magnetic and held one’s attention.
At the private screening the director, producer, cine-photographer, and the main stars came on stage for a Q&A after the film. For once the Q&A was utterly rivetting. Alfonso Cuaron, the director/producer described his unusual way of producing/filming in that everything was shot in sequence. He also confessed that the final scene in the water which was a one shot sequence was one he originally hated as he thought it must be terrible as he did not have more than one take to work with (light failed and other acts of God!). This scene is almost overpowering in its intensity. He also described how in order to maintain authenticity they recreated a whole street and when colleagues who had lived on the original saw it many began to cry it was such an emotional impacted memory. The inside shooting was done in buildings exactly similar and on the same street as he grew up in.
Which bring us to the more amazing revelation. Alfonso told us that his vision of the film was merely to recreate his childhood. He had no script and no political or social ambitions but he acknowledged that as he filmed it he became aware of its potential reception. The film which stars a house help in his well to do family and the emotional entanglements of all the family members is now being used by unions to support campaigns for better conditions for domestic servants.
It received a standing ovation.
We later learned that it cleaned up at the BAFTA’s awards shortly afterwards.
At the BAFTA’s it won Best Film, Best Film Not in the English Language, Best Direction and Best Cinematography.