When a movie fan hears the last name “Cuarón,” it’s easy to automatically think of Alfonso Cuarón, due in large part to the impressive legacy he’s amassed with only a handful of directorial efforts. He’s not the only Cuarón with compelling stories to tell, however, as his son Jonás Cuarón is also making a name for himself.
More than merely being family members, the pair have also worked together professionally, most notably on the critically acclaimed Gravity. To say the collaboration was a success would be a bit of an understatement, as it scored ten Oscar nominations and would take home seven Academy Awards, the most of the ceremony that year.
Jonás Cuarón has a new film this year, Campéon Gabacho, with the pair appearing at the Busan International Film Festival in support of the release. While that movie has been making the festival rounds, Jonás teased his next project during a press conference, per Dispatch, where he revealed, “I am writing a new screenplay. A story in the horror genre … It is very interesting.”
What makes this update exciting is that, while Gravity would understandably be called a sci-fi thriller, with countless moments of immense tension, calling his next project “horror” implies much more intense subject matter. And, given the amount of anxiety produced in Gravity, we can only imagine what he has in store for audiences.
“My father viewed my screenplay favorably … From brainstorming to each stage, we proceeded organically. It was a work from which I learned a great deal,” Jonás recalled. “In extreme environments, a character’s psychology and choices are revealed transparently … A woman left alone in space confronts her deep sorrow. The story is that she must overcome that to embrace hope.”
Campéon Gabacho is a film full of humorous punches, telling the story of Liborio, an endearing and mischievous young man and Mexican migrant looking for a better life in the United States. Through fists, love, and his words, he becomes a hero in an unknown land, facing the cultural walls and prejudices that threaten all his hopes.
Stay tuned for updates on Jonás Cuarón’s future projects.
Editor’s Note: Jonás Cuarón’s quote was initially attributed to Alfonso Cuarón in a previous version of this story.