The esteemed Locarno Film Festival is honoring the multi-Oscar-winning Mexican maestro, Alfonso Cuarón, with a prestigious lifetime achievement award. This Swiss festival, renowned for its dedication to global independent cinema, recognizes Cuarón's illustrious career, spanning five Academy Awards and an array of masterful films. From his humble beginnings with low-budget Mexican gems like "Love in the Time of Hysteria" (1991) and the road trip classic "Y tu mamá también" to his blockbuster Hollywood hits like "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," Cuarón has showcased a versatility that is truly remarkable.
In a statement, Locarno praised Cuarón as "the embodiment of the true spirit of a chameleonic contemporary artist, capable of mastering any assignment." Three of his Oscars were awarded for "Roma" (2018), a heartfelt homage to the Mexico of his youth, crafted for Netflix. The other two accolades were for his direction and editing of the Warner Bros. thriller "Gravity" (2013), starring Sandra Bullock, which he co-wrote with his son Jonás.
Now, with his upcoming series "Disclaimer" starring Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline, set to premiere on Apple TV+ on October 11, Cuarón continues to push the boundaries of filmmaking. "Alfonso Cuarón is a visionary auteur, crafting agile and liberated narratives," said Locarno's artistic director Giona A. Nazzaro, further highlighting Cuarón's ability to blend "an experimental spirit with the grandeur of great popular storytellers." Nazzaro added that Cuarón has "captivated the imagination and hearts of millions, imparting the same sense of wonder that he himself felt as a child and teenager, immersed in the glory of classic Mexican cinema."
As part of the festival's tribute to Cuarón, he will be awarded the lifetime achievement honor on the open-air Piazza Grande on August 11. Additionally, the festival will screen a film personally chosen by Cuarón—the Swiss veteran Alain Tanner's 1976 arthouse gem "Jonah Who Will Be 25 in the Year 2000." This rumination on time and history follows eight characters whose consciousness was shaped by the political events of 1968, facing the future with a utopian spirit. Cuarón will engage in a discussion about this film with Frédéric Maire, the head of the Cinémathèque suisse, and also hold a separate conversation with Italian critic and Locarno festival collaborator Manlio Gomarasca, reflecting on his illustrious career. The 77th edition of Locarno Film Festival will run from August 7 to 17.
