 in alfonso cuaron s autobiographically inspired film set in mexico city in the early 70s we are placed within the physical and emotional terrain of a middleclass family whose center is quietly and unassumingly held by its beloved livein nanny and housekeeper yalitza aparicio the cast is uniformly magnificent but the real star of roma is the world itself fully present and vibrantly alive from sudden lifechanging events to the slightest shifts in mood and atmosphere cuaron tells us an epic story of everyday life while also gently sweeping us into a vast cinematic experience in which time and space breathe and majestically unfold shot in breathtaking black and white and featuring a sound design that represents something new in the medium  roma is a truly visionary work a netflix release alfonso cuaron mostra internazionale d arte cinematografica new york film festival 