“I Realised I’d Never Done ..” : Alfonso Cuarón While Directing ‘Disclaimer’, A Psychological Thriller

Alfonso Cuarón, the acclaimed Mexican filmmaker, shared insights into the challenges he faced directing the psychological thriller miniseries Disclaimer during his appearance at the Toronto Film Festival.

Best known for his feature films, Cuarón acknowledged that directing a TV series was a new experience for him. “I realized I’d never done something overtly narrative,” he said, admitting that TV was out of his comfort zone, which pushed him to take on the project. He added, “I do films, and if [I do] this, I will approach it as a film.”

Disclaimer is a 2024 miniseries based on Renee Knight’s 2015 novel of the same name, starring Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline. It tells the story of Catherine Ravenscroft (Blanchett), a journalist known for exposing the misdeeds of others. Cuarón praised Blanchett’s deep involvement in the creative process, including script rewrites and casting decisions.

Working with his long-time collaborator, cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, Cuarón noted that their collaboration is “very organic,” with both deeply influencing each other’s work. He also reminisced about his close relationships with fellow Mexican filmmakers Guillermo del Toro and Alejandro G. Iñárritu, emphasizing their trust and brutally honest feedback on each other’s films.

Disclaimer will premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, where Cuarón’s distinctive approach to TV as a filmmaker will be seen on screen.