Mexico’s wave of talent . . .
SIX months ago, Marina de Tavira, the lady of the house in Alfonso Cuaron’s masterful Roma, thought she’d spend a few days promoting the movie before going home to Mexico. That was before Cuaron’s personal cinematic memoir became one of the hits of the award season, garnering ten Academy Award nominations — tying with the Yorgos Lanthimos regal comedy The Favourite. What surprised de Tavira were her nominations for best supporting actress, and the best actress citation for Yalitza Aparicio, far left with her, who plays the maid who (literally) clears up the mess her mistress fails to notice. ‘It told me Alfonso’s film had really gotten to people,’ Marina said. ‘ Being nominated for an oscar is something an actor from Mexico can dream of, but never expect to happen.’ She didn’t expect Roma’s historic win at last Sunday’s Bafta ceremony, either. The Netflix movie won best film and best film in a foreign language — a mammoth coup for Cuaron and the streaming service. The wins came handily close to Tuesday’s start of voting by members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Best picture rivals Green Book, Black Panther, BlacKkKlansman, Vice, A Star Is Born and Bohemian Rhapsody pushed their campaigns into top gear. The oscar is Roma’s to lose, though.
But oscar has a rival...playwright David Hare. De Tavira has translated his play Skylight into Spanish and will star when it opens in Mexico in May. ‘I’ll never forget these months, but I look forward to losing myself in Hare.’