Mexican Filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón Nominated for Oscar for ‘Gravity’ · Global Voices
J. Tadeo

Image shared on Facebook by Gravity's official page.
Mexican director Alfonso Cuarón Orozco has been nominated for Best Director in the upcoming Academy Awards for the feature film Gravity, in which he also worked as producer, editor and writer.
In the same category, David O. Russel, Alexander Payne, Steve McQueen and Martin Scorsese were also nominated. The winner will be announced at the official ceremony to be held on Sunday 2nd March, 2014 in Los Angeles, California.
Entertainment news presenter, René Franco [es] had the following to say about Cuarón's work in the director's chair:
Gravity es extraordinaria, impecable en su dirección. Y Cuarón se merece el Oscar. Pero no solo dan Oscares por eso.
Gravity is extraordinary, impeccable in its direction. And Cuarón deserves the Oscar. But they don't give Oscars only for that.
Franco also reminded us [es] that the filmmaker is not the only one to have stepped into the spotlight of U.S. cinema in the last few months, at the same time as mentioning another of the reasons for which Cuarón should be given the statuette:
Además, es un gran año para los mexicanos en el cine gringo: Eugenio Derbez les llenó los bolsillos de dinero, y dejó muy en claro que en los centros comerciales de todo Estados Unidos, los mexicanos (legales o no) son los que llenan las salas comprando boletos para familias numerosas. Así que a Hollywood le conviene quedar bien con nosotros, no solo porque sean unos liberales que odian a los republicanos de Arizona y se suben medio borrachos a recibir sus premios, sino porque esos millones que genera un público tan agradecido y comprador, merecen una recompensa.
Furthermore, it's a great year for Mexicans in U.S. cinema: Eugenio Derbez filled their pockets with cash and left it very clear that in shopping centers all throughout the United States, Mexicans (whether documented or not) are who fill the movie theaters buying tickets for their numerous families. So it benefits Hollywood to get along with us, not because they're Democrats who hate Republicans in Arizona and who go up half drunk to the podium to receive their award, but because those millions of dollars that generate a thankful audience with buying power deserve a bit of compensation.
The blog Cine más pod [es] reminded us that Cuarón has already been recognized for his work on Gravity, with nothing less than a Golden Globe:
Apenas el domingo Alfonso Cuarón recibió el premio a mejor director en la entrega de los Globos de Oro y hoy ya tiene posibilidades de llevarse también el codiciado Oscar.
Just on Sunday Alfonso Cuarón won best director at the Golden Globes and today he's got the chance to pick up the much sought-after Oscar as well.
Enrique Lores on the blog CarlosDragonne [es] had this to say about Gravity:
Aunque algunos me dijeron que es una película lenta, a mí no me lo pareció en lo absoluto. De hecho se me pasó bastante rápido y terminó antes de que me diera cuenta. Y sí, estuve en la orilla de mi asiento, emocionado y angustiado, en más de un momento. También me hizo pensar sobre la fragilidad de la vida, la confrontación del duelo y dónde está el verdadero valor de la existencia en este universo del que somos sólo una pequeñísima parte.
Even though some people told me that it's a slow film, it didn't seem that way to me at all.  In fact, it went by quite quickly and finished before I knew it. And yes, I was on the edge of my seat, excited and anxious, in several moments. It also made me think about the fragility of life, confrontation [we face] in duels and where the true value of existence is in this universe in which we are such a miniscule part.
Reactions to Cuarón's nomination were also expressed in Twitter. The user Posmoderno (@LuisMendezPosmo) talked about his interest in seeing the filmmaker's work:
Ahora que estrenen de nuevo la película de Alfonso Cuarón iré a verla, quizá tenga algo interesante, quizá la grabaron en el espacio #Cuaron
— Posmoderno (@LuisMendezPosmo) January 16, 2014
Now that they're premiering Alfonso Cuarón's new movie again, I'll go and see it. Perhaps it'll be interesting, perhaps they filmed it in space #Cuaron
For his part, Arturo balboa (@arturo_rdz94) made mention of the lack of opportunities for other filmmakers in Mexico:
Enorme lo conseguido hasta ahorita por #Cuaron un claro ejemplo de que sí no te dan la oportunidad en tu país, la busques en otros lugares
— Arturo Balboa (@arturo_rdz94) January 16, 2014
[It's] huge what #Cuaron has achieved until now. A clear example of how if they don't give you opportunities in your country, you look for them in other places.
Luis Castro Salgado (@Wicho_kstro) spoke ironically about the fact that Eugenio Derbez wasn't nominated in the upcoming Oscars:
#Cuarón va por 10 Oscar… Derbez va por unas palomitas para ver la ceremonia en su casa. #Oscars2014
— Luis Castro Salgado (@Wicho_kstro) January 16, 2014
#Cuarón goes for 10 Oscars…Derbez is off for popcorn to watch the ceremony at home. #Oscars2014
Rodrigo Dominguez (@rodrigodomm) showed his pleasure at the news:
Me da mil gusto ver las 10 nominaciones para Gravity #Oscars #Gravity #Cuaron #OscarNominations
— Rodrigo Dominguez (@rodrigodomm) January 16, 2014
Really glad to see the 10 nominations for Gravity #Oscars #Gravity #Cuaron #OscarNominations
On a national level, Alfonso Cuarón has stood out for works such as Sólo con tu pareja [es] (1991) and the famed Y tu mamá también (2001). On an international scale he's known for his direction of Great Expectations (1998), Harry Potter And the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) and Children of Men (2006).
Gravity will compete for more golden statuettes in the 86th Academy Awards, including Best Cinematography, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Film Editing and Best Film.