Alfonso Cuarón has matching Oscars to place on his mantel…
The 52-year-old Mexican filmmaker, a three-time nominee at this year’s Academy Awards, took home two prizes during the awards show.
Cuarón was named Best Director for helming the 3D space thriller, Gravity, making him the first Mexican to win the award in that category.
During his acceptance speech, Cuarón paid special tribute to the film’s star Sandra Bullock.
“Sandy, you are Gravity, you are the soul and heart of the film. You are an amazing collaborator and one of the best people I have ever met,” he said.
Moments after Cuarón’s name was read, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto tweeted: “Extraordinary work. Congratulations!”
Speaking backstage after collecting his Oscar, Cuarón said he hoped his win would help shine a light on the work of other Mexican filmmakers, and Mexican culture.
“I don’t think there is enough attention paid to Mexican culture and what is happening in Mexico,” Cuaron said.
Cuarón had been predicted to win the best director award, having swept the category in other awards ceremonies before Sunday’s Oscars, including the Directors Guild of America’s top prize.
In addition, Cuarón took home another award, winning the Best Film Editing Oscar alongside Mark Sanger for his hands-on work on Gravity.
Meanwhile, Gravity’s lenser Emmanuel Lubezki followed up his American Society of Cinematographers Award win with the Academy Award for Best Cinematography.
It was the Mexican cinematographer’s first win in six nominations. He previously earned nods for lensing 1995’s A Little Princess, 1999’s Sleepy Hollow, 2005’s A New World, 2006’s Children of Men and 2011’s The Tree of Life. three of Lubezki’s nominations were for his work on Cuarón films.
In all, Gravity was the night’s big winner, taking home seven awards.
But Cuarón and Lubezki weren’t the only Latinos to take home their first Oscars…
Jared Leto, a first-time nominee, took home the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his critically acclaimed performance as male-to-female transgender character Rayon in Dallas Buyers Club. It’s a role the 42-year-old part-Spanish American actor discusses in a featurette from the film’s distributor Focus Features.
Here’s a complete look at this year’s Oscar winners:
Best picture
12 Years a Slave
Best actor
Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club
Best actress
Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Best supporting actor
Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
Best supporting actress
Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave
Best director
Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity
Best animated feature film
Frozen
Best foreign film
The Great Beauty
Best original screenplay
Her, Spike Jonze
Best adapted screenplay
12 Years a Slave, John Ridley
Best original score
Gravity
Best original song
Let It Go, from Frozen
Best cinematography
Gravity
Best costume design
The Great Gatsby
Best documentary feature
20 Feet From Stardom
Best documentary short subject
The Lady in Number 6
Best film editing
Gravity
Best makeup and hairstyling
Dallas Buyers Club
Best production design
The Great Gatsby
Best animated short film
Mr. Hublot
Best live-action short film
Helium
Best sound editing
Gravity
Best sound mixing
Gravity
Best visual effects
Gravity
