Barry Jenkins ‏Praises ‘Roma’ as ‘F*cking Glorious,’ Says Alfonso Cuarón Is ‘Operating at Peak Performance Level’

Following its Golden Lion victory at the Venice Film Festival, Alfonso Cuarón’s “Roma” traveled to the Toronto International Film Festival and earned even more overwhelming reactions. Barry Jenkins attended the “Roma” TIFF premiere following the debut screenings of his own drama, “If Beale Street Could Talk,” just days earlier. While the “Moonlight” Oscar winner has stayed off social media since premiering “Beale Street,” he couldn’t help but send out praise to Cuarón.

“‘Roma’ is fucking glorious,” Jenkins wrote to his followers. “So wonderful to see an artist operating at peak performance level on such a personal, vigorous piece. The aesthetic is both personal and political here. The aesthetic is wielded to a wonderfully emotive, devastating effect.”

“Roma” is one of the only dramas playing all four of the major fall film festivals: Venice, Telluride, TIFF, and NYFF. The movie earned glowing reviews at its Venice world premiere, where IndieWire’s Eric Kohn gave the film a perfect “A” review. More positive buzz greeted “Roma” at Telluride, and the positive reactions soared yet again following its TIFF screening. Jenkins’ praise was echoed in reactions from film writers also in attendance.

Cuarón’s “Roma” is his first release since winning the best director Oscar for “Gravity.” The black-and-white, Spanish-language drama centers around a year in the life of a domestic worker (the breakout Yalitza Aparicio) and the middle-class family she serves in Mexico City. Netflix is expected to release the drama in theaters this December.

“Roma” next screens at NYFF as the centerpiece selection. Read some of the TIFF buzz below.

Yeah, ROMA is fucking glorious. So wonderful to see an artist operating at peak performance level on such a personal, vigorous piece. The aesthetic is both personal and political here. The aesthetic is wielded to a wonderfully emotive, devastating effect.

— Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) September 11, 2018

ROMA is such an extraordinary achievement. Visually striking, aurally absolutely stunning but ever not at the sacrifice of its deep well of humanity. #ROMA #TIFF18

— Erik Anderson @ TIFF (@awards_watch) September 11, 2018

*Huge* standing ovation following the North American premiere of A STAR IS BORN at TIFF. Yep, it’s fantastic. Get ready, Oscar-watchers: out of the gate, it’s looking like ROMA vs. A STAR IS BORN… aka, apple vs. orange! pic.twitter.com/RiARoHHtx1

— Scott Feinberg (@ScottFeinberg) September 10, 2018

ROMA: No hyperbole – this is a masterpiece. (And I cried my god damn eyes out) #TIFF18

— Chris Evangelista @ TIFF (@cevangelista413) September 11, 2018

Just out of the first Toronto screening of Alfonso Cuaron’s Roma and feeling the high that comes when you’ve seen a miraculous work of art. Where does Cuaron’s film stand at the fest? Lets just say there’s Roma and then there’s everything else. The Oscar race is officially on.

— Peter Travers (@petertravers) September 11, 2018

Roma: Masterful stuff from one of our finest contemporary masters. It feels like a grand culmination in so many ways, drawing on visual/narrative/performance devices Cuaron has honed from Y Tu Mama to Gravity. Exciting to think what that means for his future #TIFF18

— Ethan Alter (@ethanalter) September 11, 2018

Alfonso Cuarón receives a huge standing ovation for #Roma here at #TIFF18. An incredibly raw and emotional piece of filmmaking about a family falling apart and then slowly being put back together. Once it grabs you, it never lets go. I am floored. pic.twitter.com/opKEkC1EfB

— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) September 11, 2018

ROMA is a breathtaking, exquisitely crafted, intimate, emotional portrait of a life so little considered, and in doing so, the brilliant Alfonso Cuaron elevates the story of one overlooked woman, who represents so many, into the highest form of art. #TIFF2018 #standingovation pic.twitter.com/8rDJ6cekhk

— Piya Sinha-Roy (@PiyaSRoy) September 11, 2018

Alfonso Cuaron’s #Roma is extraordinary. Such a moving humanistic work #Tiff18 pic.twitter.com/PNTfO4lD5o

— Brent Lang (@BrentALang) September 11, 2018

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