48TH THESSALONIKI FILM FESTIVAL
November 16-25 2007
ALFONSO CUARON MASTERCLASS
In his masterclass on Monday, November 19th at the John Cassavetes theatre, renowned Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron spoke about his first steps in cinema, his relationship with Mexican cinema and Hollywood and the new generation of cinematographers.
Festival Director Despina Mouzaki introduced Cuaron by saying: “It’s like the camera is an extension of his body and that cinema is the air he breathes”. Alexis Grivas, Coordinator of the International Program and Foreign Press office, mentioned that the Festival traditionally supports Mexican cinema and concluded saying that “Alfonso Cuaron owed us a visit from long ago”.
Beginning his masterclass, Alfonso Cuaron revealed to the audience that during his childhood he had a camera to shoot with, but never enough money to afford any film. He continued by saying that he started his career as a boom operator and as an assistant director in many productions, calling himself a “blue collar worker” of cinema. As soon as he shot his first film, he decided to distance himself from Mexican cinema. “Mexico was secluded for 80 years, its artists were forced to live in a bubble with no horizons. If I had remained there, I would be working on government projects, documentaries, and as an assistant director. I wanted my films to travel, to be a part of the global society. I wanted to do things my way”, he said justifying his decision to work abroad.
When he arrived in Hollywood, he had already made Little Princess and Great Expectations, and so he received a number of offers to direct films. However, since studios were constantly trying to intervene in his work, he quickly decided to change his course. “I wanted to be in control of my films, to write my own scripts and not to receive a pack of useless scripts at my doorstep every day. That period taught me to control my life as much as I did my career”, he said.
Regarding his initial reservation to direct Harry Potter 3, Cuaron revealed that at the time he hadn’t read any of the series’ books. He changed his mind when Benicio Del Toro told him that the third part was the best one, and that he believed that he was the best director for the job. Harry Potter took two years to film and Cuaron said that his experience with the special effects of the film helped him in his next film, The Children of Men.
Regarding the new generation of filmmakers in Mexico, Cuaron said: “They are a new generation of filmmakers who aren’t easily impressed, who recognize when it’s a special effect or not and the tricks of the trade -and that can go beyond all of that. In other words, they have demystified cinema, and because of new technologies, they can easily make films out of nothing. I think that this “digital revolution” is even more important than the transition from silent films to sound or from black and white to color film”.
Finally, Cuaron spoke about the globalization of cinema, stating that he doesn’t focus on the nationality of a film: “I’m mostly interested in cinematographers who have strong backgrounds and cultures. In an age with nationalism on the rise, we have to find common avenues that unite us and abolish flags and passports”.
