Alfonso Cuarón: biography and his directorial work

One of the most spectacular Oscar-winning films of 2014 can rightfully be called "Gravitation." Alfonso Cuaron took not just science fiction, he created a drama, a cosmic epos about loneliness. So who is he, the new winner of the Oscar?

Biography of the director

Quaron was born in 1961. At the National University in Mexico City, he studied cinematographic art and philosophy. After completing his studies, he began working on television. He had to start with the post of technician. Then he became director all on the same Mexican television.

Career on TV helped Alfonso get on several film projects as an assistant director. And in 1991 he himself produces his own tape on the screen.

Debut

The debut project was called "Solo con tu pareja". If you translate literally, you get "Only with my partner." Although in the filmography of the director, this film came under the name "Love in the Time of Hysteria." Under this title, the picture was published in the English-language rolling version.

Alfonso Cuaron, co-authored with his brother Carlos, wrote a screenplay for a comedy about a businessman who loves to change lovers. But the fun ends when he is diagnosed with AIDS. However, later it turns out that it is false. The film was withdrawn, Cuaron himself produced it. The picture did not go unnoticed. The spectator received it with enthusiasm. And for an amazing virtuosic balancing on the brink of drama and farce, the brothers were rewarded with silver "Ariel", a premium from the Mexican Academy of Cinematography.

Success was seen in the United States. Sidney Pollack invited Alfonso to the set of the "Fallen Angels" series. He acted as the director of one of the series. The episode was called "The Indirect Assassin". The director coped with the task brilliantly, which was noted in 1993 by the "Cable Ace Award".

Fairytale for children

"Little Princess" appeared almost by accident, she took the place of the film "Dependent on love." He was to remove Coaron for Warner Brothers. Alfonso, whose filmography will then be replenished with another fairy tale story, found the "Princess" script and insisted on the necessity of its adaptation.

The plot of the picture is the story of little Sarah. The girl, who is fond of a loving father, is forced to leave fairy India and move to a boarding school, as her father is called to the front. Raised in an atmosphere of adoration, a cheerful and kind "princess" is perceived within the walls of the orphanage as an exotic flower, unfit for harsh conditions. But it is those qualities perceived by others as weakness that give Sarah the strength and courage to help her new friends.

And although the film was quite coolly received by the audience, the film academics favorably treated him. Alfonso's tale was nominated for two Oscar nominations.

"Big hopes"

The next project, which took the director Alfonso Cuaron, is the translation into the film language of the classic work of Dickens.

His characters Cuaron suffered in our time, and to embody them on the screen, invited Ethan Hawke, Robert de Niro, Gwyneth Paltrow.

Ethan Hawke plays Finn, an artist whom the mysterious patron invites to New York. In the Big Apple, Finn is once again confronted with his childhood love. Estella is just as beautiful, just as desirable, and a passion for her will lead the artist to the top, where even the wildest dreams come true. But this same love will make you raise your head and Finn's most intimate fears.

Rolling fate of the film was unsuccessful. Both the critics and the audience did not appreciate the tape. Although Alfonso Cuaron made a beautiful story with beautiful actors.

Return to Mexico

The next film the director began to shoot at home. To work on the picture "And your mother, too," Cuaron invited his brother. Carlos agreed to be a co-author, and in 2001 the tape was released.

The manner in which Alfonso shot "And your mother, too," can be called pseudo-documentary.

The plot of the picture almost does not lend itself to a clear retelling. This is a teenage road story. Two friends, who decided to tear themselves away in full, accidentally get acquainted with Louise. Together they decide to go in search of the mythical beach "Celestial lips". It is believed that in that blessed place all dreams are fulfilled.

Along the way, the characters "hook" on themselves all sorts of adventures, conduct frank talk about sex, smoke grass. In general, they just live. Enjoy the youth, drive, sex. But I still have to come back. And as a result - the end of friendship. Unsupported by anything, except the invented leaflet with the rules, it does not stand up to the growth of the main characters.

In the picture there are very naturalistic scenes, as well as branded long doubles, so loved by Quaron.

But, despite some similarity, "And your mother, too," - not the Mexican counterpart of the American Pie. Not at all, this film is much more dramatic than the usual youth comedy road-movie.

The picture has successfully appeared in the world of rolling and has been shown in almost thirty countries. And young actors Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal got a chance to try their hand at Hollywood.

The storyteller Alfonso Cuaron

Films shot by a Mexican director soon after the tape "And your mother, too," replenished with another fairy tale. Alfonso entrusted the creation of the third part of the saga of the famous Harry Potter. "Prisoner of Azkaban" was shot almost a year. All this time Cuaron spent in England.

His view of the magical world was more grim and aggressive. In it, the notes of Dickens's novels slipped distinctly. Some fans did not accept this version of the story about the wizard boy.

But the creator of Harry Potter, Joan Rowling, was delighted with the creation of the Mexican. She called the "Prisoner of Azkaban" the best movie adaptation of the novel, accurately conveying the essence of the book.

"Child of Man"

After Harry Potter, Alfonso Cuaron took up the adaptation of Dorothy James's book The Child of Man. This time he had to work with world stars: Michael Kane, Julianne Moore, Clive Owen.

The plot of the novel develops in an atmosphere of global destruction. The usual civilized world has disappeared. Terror and anarchy are everywhere. Humanity is dying out. And not only because of mass self-extermination, but also because it lost the function of reproduction. And the appearance of a pregnant black woman in such a world is truly a miracle. And the miracle is trying to save Theo, the former left-wing radical, carrying out as far as possible humanitarian missions for the ministry. The role of Theo was played by Clive Owen.

The film itself was criticized by some critics as the "Gospel of the Age of Antiglobalism." Indeed, there are plenty of Christian motifs in it. And a hint of the virgin birth, and persecution of the mother and her child. Even the ship on which the last human child departs is symbolic. He is like the ark of Noah, leaving the drowning world in search of the bright Tomorrow.

"Child of Man" received an award in Venice and three nominations from American film academics.

The long-awaited Oscar

Yes, although the paintings of Kuaron were nominated for the Academy's prestigious award, but the Oscar persistently left the hands of the director.

The more pleasant was the victory in 2014. The long-awaited figure was the film Alfonso Cuarón "Gravitation".

Again the genre of fiction, only this time scientific. Again starring actors of the "highest test" - Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. They play on the screen a three-dimensional cosmic drama. Two astronauts, who have remained unconnected, threatening to end up with oxygen, are forced to fight for life.

The picture is staggering with visual effects, amazing camera work. On the impact on the viewer the film can be compared with the "Space Odyssey" by Stanley Kubrick.

In an interview, Cuaron notes that his picture is primarily about taking solitude. The fact that it is necessary to reconcile with it, get used to it, and then start the path to the loneliness of others. And with the example of two space prisoners, the director gets an opportunity to illustrate this idea more clearly.

The tape liked the audience. In 2013, she was named among the best films. Yes, and critics favorably responded to the picture, emphasizing the indisputable merits, which fully possesses "Gravitation."

Director Alfonso Cuaron has already announced new plans. The project is called "Believe". The Mexican will work on it together with JJ Abrams. Spectators are waiting for a science fiction series about a girl endowed with incredible abilities. Will not do without a charismatic villain. He will play Kyle McLachlan. Judging by the pilot series, the series promises to be no less intriguing than the previous films of Quaron.