Alfonso Cuarón’s next feature, Roma, will not arrive in theaters until 2018, according to the director’s camp, but the first behind-the-scenes footage from the project has surfaced, offering a rare glimpse of the Mexico City set.
The film, which was initially eyed for a fall 2017 premiere, has been rescheduled for next year. While no specific release date has been announced, the delay aligns with the meticulous post-production often associated with Cuarón’s work.
The newly released footage, shared via Indiewire, shows Cuarón directing on location, with cinematographer Galo Olivares behind the camera. The clip does not reveal plot details but captures the texture of the neighborhood, suggesting a grounded, intimate visual style.
Roma is a small-scale drama that traces a year in the life of a middle-class family in Mexico City during the early 1970s. The project marks Cuarón’s return to his home country after the space thriller Gravity, which earned him an Academy Award for Best Director.
In a recent interview, Cuarón compared Gravity to a cereal box prize, saying, “Guillermo del Toro told me that certain movies are like a box of cereal with prize included, because when you’re a kid, you end it all up to know what you got. Gravity was for me that little toy and I made the decision to use it to go back to Mexico and make the film I had always dreamed of.”
The director’s comments underline a personal motivation behind Roma, which he has described as a passion project years in the making. The film’s production has been kept largely under wraps, with few details about the cast or narrative released to the public.
A Return to Roots
Cuarón’s decision to shoot in Mexico marks a significant shift from his recent Hollywood productions. The behind-the-scenes footage, shot by Olivares, emphasizes natural light and handheld camerawork, hinting at a documentary-like approach that could distinguish Roma from the director’s previous work.
Olivares, a frequent collaborator on Mexican productions, brings a local sensibility to the project, and his involvement suggests a deliberate effort to capture the era’s authenticity. The footage shows Cuarón working closely with actors, though no dialogue is audible in the clip.
While the release delay may disappoint some fans, the additional time in post-production could allow Cuarón to refine the film’s visual and narrative details. The director is known for his meticulous editing, as seen in Gravity and Children of Men.
As of now, Roma has no set premiere date, but the film is expected to debut at a major festival in 2018 before a wider release. The project is produced by Cuarón’s own production company, and Netflix is rumored to be involved in distribution, though no official deal has been confirmed.
For cinephiles, the first footage offers a promising sign that Cuarón’s return to Mexico will deliver the personal, character-driven drama he has long envisioned. The wait until 2018 may be long, but the early glimpses suggest a film that could be worth it.
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