Alfonso Cuarón has defended 'Gravity' winning the BAFTA for Outstanding British Film.
The director's 3-D movie triumphed at the British Academy of Film and Television Awards (BAFTAs) in London on Sunday night and although it may not at fist appear to be a British movie - as he is Mexican and the two main stars, George Clooney and Sandra Bullock, are both American - most of the film was shot and the special effects made in England, where Alfonso has lived for 13 years.
19 February 2014
He told England's Metro newspaper: "I am a UK resident. About ninety-eight per cent of the talent working on this film was from Britain. And almost half of the films I have made, I made in the UK."
'Gravity' was also produced by Brit David Heyman and passed BAFTAs "cultural test" from which a film has to score at least 16 points out of a possible 31 to be included. The movie '12 Years A Slave', for example, did not pass this test despite having a British director and British lead actor, as it is adapted from an American story by an US writer, filmed in America and made by US production companies.
'Gravity' may have received awards for its groundbreaking special effects, but Alfonso feels it is Sandra's performance, as an astronaut trying to make her way home after her shuttle is damaged, which ensured its success.
He added: "What is amazing is that with all this wizardry to make this movie happen, the real miracle was Sandra Bullock's performance. "The audience has connected with this film because of that truthfulness of her performance."
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