Over the weekend, Netflix held a special event, titled “‘Roma’ Experience,” which featured a Q&A with the filmmaker behind one of 2018’s most critically-acclaimed films, Alfonso Cuarón. The discussion also featured one of Cuarón’s frequent collaborators, Emmanuel Lubezski, the three-time Oscar-winning cinematographer behind films “The Revenant,” “Birdman,” and “Gravity.” However, “Roma” marked only the second time since 1995 the duo have not collaborated on one of Cuarón’s films.
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And because of this odd situation, the conversation between the two men didn’t have the same feeling that previous discussions had. Instead of commenting on the filmmaking process, Lubezski decided to instead comment on Cuarón’s own DP prowess, since the director performed double-duty, serving as his own cinematographer.
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In particular, Lubezski wanted to discuss the power that came from one of the most interesting ways that Cuarón chose to shoot “Roma” and how the cinematographer would have done things differently.
“The blocking of the scenes is very perpendicular to the lens,” Lubezki said (via Variety). “You laid the track and the actors are moving parallel to the camera. Usually, if I was there, I would say, ‘Alfonso, that’s very flat. What are we doing? We should compose in Z axis, not in X axis.’ But the camera becomes almost like a consciousness that is revisiting the story, like the camera knows something that the actors don’t. I don’t even want to try to describe it but it’s very powerful.”
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Cuarón doesn’t completely agree with the DP’s assessment, saying, “I would say it’s the ghost of the present that is visiting the past, without getting involved, just observing, not trying to make a judgment or commentary. Everything there would be the commentary itself.”
Ultimately, however, Lubezski says that he loved “Roma,” and gave it one of the highest praise the film has received to date. “It’s one of my favorite movies of all time,” he said. “It’s everything you’ve learned.”
“Roma” is playing in cinemas now (and you really must try to see it on the big screen, trust us) and will hit Netflix on December 14.