It seems the critically-acclaimed visual effects in the space thriller “Gravity” fooled at least one viewer.
During a press conference in Mexico City on Wednesday, a reporter asked the film’s director Alfonso Cuarón to describe the difficulties of directing a movie in space. In the recording by Sopitas.com, the Mexican director first listens to the question and then is quick to offer a comical answer.
After 90 minutes of gut-wrenching space action, many moviegoers may have left the theater with some burning questions about the making of “Gravity.” Reporter Carlos Pérez for Mexico TV Azteca network was no exception.
“I think that all of us who love cinema, film professionals, those of us who perhaps make movies have the same doubt,” Pérez asked Cuarón during the press conference. “What were the technical and physical difficulties of filming in space? Perhaps we all have the same question, isn’t that right colleagues? Was it very difficult? Was it complicated to shoot in space? Did the cameramen get dizzy? I don’t know.”
While no other reporters chimed in to support Pérez or clear up the confusion, Cuarón decides to give him an answer.
“Well yeah, we took some cameras in the Soyuz [spacecraft], russian missions. We were there for three and a half months, right? Three and half months in space,” the Mexican director responded calmly.
“Plus the training,” someone chimed in as the room begins to fill with laughter.
“The training, yes I was very bad in the training. I did get very dizzy during the training. When I was up there [in space] not so much but el Chivo yes” Cuarón continued also starting to laugh. “Though in all honesty, I have proof that we were there. There is a moment in the movie where we let a reflection of the camera crew slip, I’m in it and so is Chivo floating in the reflection of the visor. Right there in space. I can’t tell you what part it is but with the DVD you can do the freeze frame and you’ll see us. We were there.”
Pérez doesn’t respond to the director’s explanation, and with a laugh Cuarón adds: “He doesn’t believe it. Well you’ll see.”
As the following journalist was called and introduced himself, the director interrupted to simply “clarify” that there had been some issues with the focus while filming in space.
As news of the reporter’s gaffe began to circulate, Pérez took to Twitter to defend himself.
“Forgive me Twitter for being a professional committed to information…” the TV Azteca reporter wrote. "Don't tell me I was the only one who had that doubt."
UPDATED Oct. 17 at 5:50 p.m.: According to Latin Times, Carlos Pérez is a reporter on TV Azteca's comedic talk show "Deberían Estar Trabajando" (You Should Be Working). Following the response on social media, the show dedicated a segment in which Pérez comically responded to his critics on Twitter. While it seems the question may have in fact been a joke, it's still unclear whether Cuarón and the journalists at the press conference fell for the ruse.
Check out the audio of the exchange in Spanish below and a video of Pérez answering tweets above.
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