Alfonso Cuarón Thinks Donald Trump Might Have To Skip ‘Roma’ Because Of The Subtitles

On paper, Alfonso Cuarón’s “Roma” is a film about a working-class Mexican woman that literally risks her life to protect an upper-middle-class family, while also juggling her own drama. The film features a beautiful performance from its lead actress and shows an aspect of Mexican culture that isn’t really explored in many modern films. This sure does sound like a film that could have a political bent to it, especially considering the state of the United States and its relationship with its Southern neighbor. But according to the filmmaker, making a political statement was never his intention.

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Cuarón spoke to Variety after earning three Oscars this past Sunday. And during that interview, the filmmaker was asked about his political aspirations for “Roma.” Sure, there were media outlets and writers out there trying to impart their own beliefs and ideas on his film, but Cuarón promises that any sort of political message in the film says more about today’s world and less about what he was trying to do.

“I never intended it to be a political film. I was doing a film about a specific character,” said the filmmaker.

He continued, “Because of Yalitza Aparicio and her amazing intelligence and civility and generosity, people are embracing her character. By doing that they’re embracing millions of other people like her. This is happening in a moment in which these people have been vilified by Trump. Ultimately the only foundations of the wall that he talks about are fear and hate. Art can sometimes be an antidote to fear and hate.”

And since he invoked the name of the current President of the United States, who has had some very vitriolic things to say about Mexico, Cuarón was asked whether or not he hopes Trump will watch “Roma.”

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“I don’t know. It has subtitles,” said the director. “He’d have to read them all! [Gasps] His mind would be so tired after one hour. Maybe they’d have to freeze-frame things, or someone would have to read the whole thing to him.”

Despite the jab at Trump at the end, it’s clear that the filmmaker never intended his 1970’s black and white Mexican character piece to be an anti-Trump film or some sort of answer to the border wall debate. “Roma” is Cuarón trying to let the audience take a brief look inside his brain and illuminate a time in his life where one woman had such a monumental effect on him.

But hey, he’s not upset if it makes you think about Mexican folks a little differently, either.