Roma: The Secret VFX Masterpiece Discovered 7 Years Later

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Seven years after its release, visual effects artists are recognizing Alfonso Cuarón’s 2018 film Roma as a stunning achievement in special effects. While the movie tells a straightforward story about a live-in housekeeper in Mexico in the early 1970s, it’s now being praised for its masterful visual work. Roma was already highly acclaimed, winning three Academy Awards and setting records when it first came out.

Seven years after its release, Sheldon Stopsack, the visual effects supervisor for Roma, was a guest on the Corridor Crew‘s “VFX Artists React” show. He surprised the hosts, Wren Weichman and Jordan Allen, by stating that almost the entire movie – all but about three shots – relied on visual effects.

Most of these effects aren’t things you directly see; they’re used to improve lighting and make the physical sets look better. You can read some of Stopsack’s thoughts on the subject or watch the complete video below.

Sheldon Stopsack really enjoyed working on this film, especially because he won an award from the Mexican Film Academy. It’s ironic considering almost the entire movie relies on visual effects. He has always admired director Alfonso Cuarón, but on this project, it became clear the focus was on creating visually stunning imagery, even though what Cuarón originally filmed was already beautiful.

We spent a significant amount of time filming inside the family’s home. It was filled with equipment everywhere, which meant a massive cleanup was necessary. Because of the long, continuous shots, we had to carefully control what was visible through the windows – removing equipment and eliminating any imperfections. We essentially sculpted the image, making subtle adjustments, like slightly lowering a wall, to achieve the desired composition. It was like painting with light, and that approach defined the entire film. Roma relies heavily on subtle, almost unnoticeable visual effects.

What I love most about this movie is its focus on visual beauty, not special effects. It’s all about creating stunning imagery.

Wren Weichman: Classic phrase, no visual effects is really just invisible VFX.

Roma, a film written and directed by Academy Award winner Alfonso Cuarón (known for Gravity), is a personal story inspired by his own childhood. The movie centers on Cleo, an indigenous Mixteco housekeeper, and her life working for a wealthy family in Mexico City in the early 1970s.

The film features a talented cast including Yalitza Aparicio, Marina de Tavira, Fernando Grediaga, Jorge Antonio Guerrero, Marco Graf, Daniela Demesa, Diego Cortina Autrey, Carlos Peralta, Nancy García, Verónica García, José Manuel Guerrero Mendoza, Latin Lover, Zarela Lizbeth Chinolla Arellano, Clementina Guadarrama, Nicolás Peréz Taylor Félix, Kjartan Halvorsen, and Jennifer Armour.

Roma was widely praised by critics, earning a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Many called it Alfonso Cuarón’s most intimate and powerful film yet, highlighting his exceptional skill as a director.

Roma made history at the Academy Awards, becoming the first Mexican film to win Best Foreign Language Film. It also achieved another first: Alfonso Cuarón became the first person to win both Best Director and Best Cinematography for a non-English language film. The film earned a total of ten nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actress for Yalitza Aparicio, Best Supporting Actress for Marina de Tavira, and Best Original Screenplay, also for Alfonso Cuarón.

Although the long, unbroken beach scene in Roma is incredibly beautiful and showcases impressive visual effects, it’s just one example of the film’s overall VFX mastery. While the scene is dazzling due to its grand scale and careful planning, it doesn’t fully represent the movie’s remarkable achievements in visual effects.

The movie is a hidden visual effects triumph because of the incredibly detailed, yet unnoticed, effects work. Countless subtle digital adjustments were made to remove unwanted objects, alter locations, expand scenes, improve lighting, and enhance the physical sets—all so flawlessly that viewers don’t realize the artistry behind Roma.

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2025-12-30 22:31