Roma (2018)

Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma is a deeply personal, semi-autobiographical drama that explores themes of class, family, love, and loss in 1970s Mexico. Shot in stunning black-and-white and set in Mexico City’s Colonia Roma neighborhood, the film is both intimate and epic—blending quiet moments with sweeping emotional arcs. It won three Academy Awards and stands as one of the most visually and emotionally striking films of the 2010s.

Detailed Summary

Introduction: Cleo’s Quiet Life

The story follows Cleo, a Mixtec domestic worker who works for a middle-class family in Mexico City. She performs daily chores, cares for the four children, and has a calm, gentle demeanor. The household is run by Sofía, the mother, as her husband, Antonio, gradually disappears from the family’s life, supposedly on a business trip.

Cleo’s life seems predictable, but the subtle emotional currents of the family and her own inner world reveal a depth that slowly unravels. Early scenes show the children’s affection for her, her closeness with fellow maid Adela, and the unspoken weight she carries.

Cleo’s Personal Crisis

Cleo becomes romantically involved with Fermín, a man who practices martial arts and seems charming at first. When Cleo finds out she’s pregnant, Fermín vanishes and refuses any responsibility, even threatening her when she approaches him for help.

This subplot becomes one of the film’s emotional backbones—Cleo is both scared and determined, continuing her work while preparing for single motherhood, and hiding the pregnancy from her employers at first.

The Family’s Disintegration

Sofía’s emotional state deteriorates as it becomes clear that Antonio is not returning. Her rage boils over in key scenes—particularly during a New Year’s Eve trip to the countryside, where the social class contrasts between guests and workers become even more pronounced.

The trip to buy a crib for Cleo leads to one of the most powerful sequences in the film: a student protest turns violent in the streets of Mexico City (a recreation of the Corpus Christi Massacre of 1971), and Cleo goes into labor while inside a furniture store.

The Hospital Scene

Cleo gives birth to a stillborn baby in one of the film’s most heartbreaking moments. The hospital sequence is long, clinical, and devastatingly silent. No music plays. We see every detail of her anguish as she delivers the child and lies frozen in shock when told the baby didn’t survive.

This scene is pivotal: it underscores Cleo’s strength and the deep pain she carries silently, as she continues to care for the family even after suffering this traumatic loss.

Movie Ending

In the final act, the family—now without Antonio and with Sofía as the sole parent—takes a vacation to the beach. There, the children are nearly drowned by strong waves while Cleo watches from a distance. Despite not knowing how to swim, she rushes into the water and saves them.

Afterward, in a moment of rare emotional release, Cleo tearfully confesses that she didn’t want her baby to be born. This confession speaks to her suppressed trauma and guilt, and to the impossibility of her circumstances.

Back at home, life resumes. Sofía tells the children they’re moving to a new house. Cleo resumes her chores. She climbs the stairs with laundry—a final, poetic image suggesting her quiet resilience, the cyclical nature of life, and the weight she bears every day.

The ending is emotionally subtle but profound. It doesn’t offer conventional closure. Instead, it delivers an honest, human conclusion: life goes on, with all its beauty and hardship woven together.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

No, Roma does not have a post-credits scene. The film ends with a long shot of the sky and airplane sounds—reinforcing its grounded, realistic tone. There’s no Marvel-style stinger or hidden scene after the credits roll.

Type of Movie

Roma is a drama and semi-autobiographical art film. It blends elements of social realism, historical drama, and neorealism, making it more meditative and observational than plot-driven.

Cast

• Yalitza Aparicio as Cleo
• Marina de Tavira as Sofía
• Fernando Grediaga as Antonio
• Jorge Antonio Guerrero as Fermín
• Nancy García García as Adela
• Marco Graf, Daniela Demesa, Diego Cortina Autrey, Carlos Peralta as the children

Film Music and Composer

There is no traditional musical score in Roma. Instead, Cuarón uses diegetic sound—music playing in the background of scenes, like the radio or passing street bands. This choice enhances the film’s naturalistic tone. A curated soundtrack was released later, titled Music Inspired by the Film Roma.

Filming Locations

Roma was filmed almost entirely in Mexico City, especially in the Colonia Roma neighborhood. The street scenes, marketplaces, and even the family’s house were constructed or restored to reflect the 1970s.

Cuarón meticulously recreated his childhood home and neighborhood, even using period-appropriate cars and newspapers. This attention to detail deepens the film’s sense of place and authenticity.

Awards and Nominations

• Academy Awards (2019):
  • Won: Best Director, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Cinematography
  • Nominated: Best Picture, Best Actress (Yalitza Aparicio), Best Supporting Actress (Marina de Tavira), Best Original Screenplay, Best Production Design, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing
• Golden Globes:
  • Won: Best Director, Best Foreign Language Film
• BAFTA Awards:
  • Won: Best Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Film Not in English

Roma was the first Mexican film to win the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar and marked a major achievement for Netflix as a platform.

Behind the Scenes Insights

• Alfonso Cuarón acted as director, writer, cinematographer, and co-editor—a rare move even for auteur directors.
• Yalitza Aparicio had never acted before. She was a schoolteacher when cast.
• Most of the cast received scripts on the day of shooting or not at all, to encourage natural performances.
• The birth scene was filmed in a real hospital using real doctors.
• Cuarón kept many emotional elements secret from the actors to capture raw reactions.
• The movie took over 100 days to shoot, largely because of its intricate technical demands and insistence on period accuracy.

Inspirations and References

• Loosely based on Cuarón’s own childhood and the woman who raised him: Libo Rodríguez, to whom the film is dedicated.
• Inspired by Italian Neorealism (e.g., Bicycle Thieves) and the slow cinema of directors like Yasujirō Ozu.
• The Corpus Christi Massacre depicted in the film is a real event from 1971 in Mexico.

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

No alternate endings have been publicly shared, and Cuarón has emphasized that the version released is the one he always intended. However, some scenes—like additional moments between Cleo and Fermín or more time spent at the beach—were likely trimmed in editing for pacing and emotional focus.

Book Adaptations and Differences

Roma is not based on a book, but it functions like a memoir in visual form. There’s no literary source, but a companion photo book was released, featuring stills and behind-the-scenes images curated by Cuarón.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

• The dog poop being swept from the driveway—a mundane yet poetic recurring visual.
• The earthquake in the hospital—a sudden, terrifying moment in an otherwise quiet narrative.
• Cleo’s hospital labor and delivery scene—absolutely harrowing.
• The beach rescue scene—emotionally and visually stunning.

Iconic Quotes

• “No matter what they tell you, women, we are always alone.” – Sofía
• “I didn’t want her to be born.” – Cleo, finally revealing her inner trauma

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

• The plane in the sky appears in multiple scenes, possibly symbolizing freedom or escapism.
• The film playing in the theater is La Grande Vadrouille (1966), a French classic—adding thematic contrast between war and comedy.
• Cleo’s character is based on Liboria Rodríguez, Cuarón’s real-life nanny.
• Fermín’s martial arts training location is a real paramilitary youth training center from the era.

Trivia

• Yalitza Aparicio became the first Indigenous woman nominated for Best Actress at the Oscars.
• The film’s title refers to Colonia Roma, but also suggests Roman-style epics told from a personal perspective.
• Netflix spent over $25 million on its Oscar campaign—an unprecedented push for a foreign language film.
• The sound design took almost a year to complete.

Why Watch?

Because Roma is one of the most emotionally intelligent films of the 21st century. It’s a meditative exploration of life, loss, and memory. You don’t just watch Roma—you live in it. It’s a masterclass in filmmaking from one of the modern greats.

Director’s Other Movies

• Gravity (2013)
• Children of Men (2006)
• Y Tu Mamá También (2001)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
• A Little Princess (1995)

Recommended Films for Fans

• The Tree of Life (2011)
• Bicycle Thieves (1948)
• Shoplifters (2018)
• The White Ribbon (2009)
• A Separation (2011)
• The Souvenir (2019)