The Roma director is odds-on to pick up the Best Director Oscar this month, while his black and white Netflix drama is expected to win Best Picture. These likely wins, alongside Best Foreign Language Film, were seemly all but confirmed after Roma won four BAFTAs in all those categories including Best Cinematography. Nevertheless, Cuarón has said he feels that Oscars campaigning has turned “vicious.” Speaking with Deadline, the director said: “You see it with the media, when they come and say, ‘What do you think are your chances?’”
The filmmaker continued: “You know what? The problem is that I don’t think there are filmmakers—certainly not very many filmmakers—that think like that.
“We’re just happy for the ride. We’re relieved in many ways, that our films are performing.
“There’s always the fear that your film is not going to perform one way or the other.
“So we’re in the mood to celebrate; it’s great that we are able to be on this ride.”
COULD BLACK PANTHER BEAT ROMA TO BEST PICTURE?
He added: “This industry has turned everything into something a bit more vicious; or even very much so. The sad thing is it has become almost like a projection of how political campaigns are nowadays.
“Rather than politicians showing a vision, it’s about throwing dirt to the opponent.
“So rather than strengthening the values—and I’m not talking moral values, but the artistic merits of a film and the influence it may be having—it’s about trying to push the others down.
“I find that very sad. And I hope there’s a way—though I’m not sure there is—that it can be regulated by the Academy. I don’t know how.”
Roma, which is currently streaming on Netflix, is set in 1970s Mexico City.
The film follows the lives of a middle-class family and their housekeeper Cleo.
Roma has an impressive 96% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.
The 91st Academy Awards take place on Sunday, February 24 in Hollywood.