Hope, In Black and White

Roma is the first Mexican movie to have won the Academy Award for the Best Foreign Language Film. It’s the most recent movie directed by Alfonso Cuarón, who is famous for directing Gravity and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, among other films. 

This Mexican drama, named after the neighborhood in Mexico City where it is set, takes place in the 1970s and tells the story of a wealthy Mexican family from the perspective of their live-in housekeeper, Cleo. 

In 1971, Mexican protesting students were killed by a government-trained paramilitary group, a tragedy later called the Corpus Christi Massacre. Social conditions had a significant impact on some Mexicans as the social division in the country kept growing, leaving disadvantaged Mexicans in misery. 

By making Roma a black and white movie, Alfonso Cuaron accentuated the dreariness of the city and the lives of its characters. Mexico is pictured as a gray city in this film, contrasting the usual sunny and colorful representation of the city. And yet in particular scenes, you can’t help but notice the sun bursting through the gloom. The lack of colors and the intensity of the light in some moments echoes the contrasting elements of the characters’ lives.

Cleo’s life is just a reflection of these ups and downs. At the time this film took place, it was still common for middle and upper class Mexican families to have a maid at home to cook, clean, and raise the kids. Throughout the film, the audience's perception of Cleo vacillates between seeing her as a family member or simply as an employee. The film allows the audience to relate to Cleo, to understand her needs and desires, though they may not share her life circumstances. 

Cleo is a woman facing the tough reality of her social condition. Her mental and physical strength is truly impressive. She is strong and vulnerable at the same time, which makes her the perfect heroine. When two children almost drown in the ocean, she doesn’t hesitate to jump into the water even though she doesn’t know how to swim. No matter the horrific scenes she experiences, she takes it upon herself to overcome these hardships without complaint. 

Sofia, Cleo’s employer, is a more extroverted woman. Her pain is clearly visible from others. “We are alone,” claims Sofia, whose background and day-to-day life is different from Cleo. As Sofia often seems disoriented, the movie reminds the audience that in spite of her elevated social status, she is still human. Roma is a movie full of sisterhood, where women facing an uncertain future support each other. For example, Sofia treats Cleo as an equal when she learns of Cleo’s pregnancy.

Roma gives the audience a glimpse into the internal, private scenes that take place within a bustling city. It shows a domestic side of Mexico City,  without the dust and grime of the streets. The duality between the internal and external sides of Mexico that Alfonso Cuarón displays is also visible in the lives of Roma’s characters. The family is at times trapped and confined in their home, but at others they escape for brief getaways.

Throughout the movie, you might notice that Roma doesn’t have a soundtrack. The live music melts right into daily life : a band playing in the streets, a family singing and standing up to dance. And then the street sounds... You will hear Louis de Funès and Bourvil laughing in La Grande Vadrouille, while Cleo is waiting alone for her boyfriend to come back. Street merchants shout to attract buyers while Cleo is muted and almost absent. There is a fantastic scene where everybody is lending a hand to help save the forest from wildfires, and a costumed man stands and sings. His song sounds like a call for forgiveness. 

Overall, if you're looking for an action-packed movie you may want to look elsewhere - the rhythm is very slow. But by doing so you would miss the beauty and the intensity of Roma’s characters which quickly pulls you in and keeps you there. In this film, Alfonso Cuarón makes a heartbreaking declaration of love to the women who raised him. He captures the humanity that flows from each person's experience. Roma is a movie full of authenticity and rawness, which reminds you that sadness is part of life and that you can either fight it or let it devour you.