Mexicans Triumph at the Academy Awards · Global Voices
J. Tadeo

Alfonso Cuarón won an Oscar for best director. Photo from Disney | ABC Television Group on Flickr under a Creative Commons license (CC BY-ND 2.0)
The night of March 2, 2014 brought good news to the Mexicans Alfonso Cuarón and Emmanuel Lubezki -alias “Chivo” (Goat)- who were recognized at the Academy Awards for their work in the movie Gravity.
It is worth noting that the film is not a Mexican production, but rather British – American, and it even won several BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) awards.
Since January of this year, Cuarón's nomination caused several reactions among Mexican viewers. At the end, Gravity got seven statuettes. Cuarón received the award for best director from Angelina Jolie and Sidney Poitier and was also recognized for this work as editor of the same movie. Also, Lubezki received the award for best photography.
Reactions on Twitter were fast and varied. User Alex pointed out the following in relation to the current situation of filmmaking in Mexico and linking it to the Latin pop singer Juan Gabriel:
ultimo comentario de la noche: El Óscar de Cuarón no es para el cine mexicano, el cine mexicano sigue haciendo películas con Juan Gabriel.
— Alex ∆ (@Peligrroja) March 3, 2014
last comment of the night: Cuarón's Oscar is not for the Mexican movie industry, Mexican filmmakers keep making movies with Juan Gabriel.
For Agustín Basave the awards don't belong to Mexico, but according to him, they do belong to the Mexican people:
Ya sé que los Óscares del Chivo y de Cuarón no son de México pero francamente me vale madre: un cachito es para cada mexicano. ¡viva México!
— Agustín Basave (@abasave) March 3, 2014
I know Chivo's and Cuarón's Oscars are not Mexico's, but honestly I don't give a damn: a piece of them is for every Mexican.
Netizen Weed Brownie questioned this way the Academy's decisions:
Malditasea, qué carajo pasa? La gente de gravity compró las nominaciones o qué? Se llevan todo.
— Weed Brownie. (@MeDicen_Negra) March 3, 2014
Damn it, what the hell is going on? Gravity people bought the nominations or what? They are taking home everything.
In response to those who didn't celebrate the Mexicans’ accomplishment at the Academy Awards, user Alessia said:
En la resaca de los Oscar conviene preguntarnos ¿por qué el complejo, por qué la insistencia en minimizar el logro de #Lubezki y #Cuarón?
— Alessia (@Alessia_mx) March 3, 2014
At the Oscar's hangover, it is worth asking why the complex, why do people insist in minimizing Lubezki's and Cuarón's achievement?
Later, the same user added:
Lo digo porque he leído muchos comentarios negativos como que #Cuarón no vive en México o que los premios estuvieron “arreglados”. #Envidia
— Alessia (@Alessia_mx) March 3, 2014
I say it because I've read many negative comments like the fact that Cuarón doesn't live in Mexico or that the awards were “fixed”. #Envidia (Envy)
About the criticism over “Chivo” Lubezki, user blurred9 reminded netizens that Gravity is not the first movie he has worked on and that there are several other examples in his outstanding career:
Cada vez que quieran criticar a Lubezki piensen en la luz en la escena de la fuente de Great Expectations y cállense.
— blurred9 (@blurred9) March 3, 2014
Each time you want to criticize Lubezki think of the light scene at the fountain in Great Expectations and shut up.
Journalist León Krauze said this about Alfonso Cuarón:
Un mexicano universal. En todos sentidos. #Cuaron
— León Krauze (@Leon_Krauze) March 3, 2014
A universal Mexican. In every sense of the word.
Also, president Enrique Peña Nieto congratulated the winning filmmakers:
Felicidades a los mexicanos que hoy ganaron en los Premios #Oscar; son parte de una destacada generación de cineastas mexicanos.
— Enrique Peña Nieto (@EPN) March 3, 2014
Congratulations to the Mexicans who won an Oscar; they are part of a prominent generation of Mexican filmmakers.
The Mexican movies where Cuarón and Lubezki have worked together are Y Tu Mamá También (And Your Mother Too) and Sólo Con Tu Pareja (Only With Your Partner). As for international films, Cuarón is known for his work in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, while Lubezki had already been nominated to the Oscar in several occasions, including The Tree of Life.