In the world of true and proper theatrical cinema, bigger is better and excellence deserves an audience. Over this next week, the Music Box Theatrewill offer both size and quality in the same special engagement. Chicago’s 90-year-old premiere arthouse venue will be exclusively presenting Alfonso Cuaron’s highly regarded Oscar contender Roma in widescreen 70mm. The Spanish-language film from Mexico will play on their main screen over the course of five days and fifteen showings between Wednesday, January 9th and Sunday the 13th. Tickets for Roma are $15 ($12 for Music Box members) and available now at their box office or online.

This 135-minute dramatic film is a harrowing and powerful tribute to the nanny and housekeeper who raised the director during the turbulent early 1970s of Mexico City. The film depicts an indigenous young woman (the extraordinary newcomer Yaritza Aparicio) named Cleo who becomes more integral to a well-to-do family. Through her own unexpected pregnancy, the servant’s bonds with the family matriarch Sofia (Marina de Tavira) and her three children strengthen after the doctor husband leaves them for his mistress.

Known for his edge-to-edge depth of action and picture depth, Alfonso Cuaron, last lauded for the 2014 science fiction thriller Gravity, applied his technical prowess to this extremely personal subject. Roma, a Netflix release, features striking precision black-and-white cinematography shot by the director himself in 65mm. Urban and rural vistas grace the screen through long takes and observant pans. The Music Box’s specially-installed wall-to-wall 36 foot screen will expand Roma’s imagery far beyond what is capable on the small screen at home. For more on the cinematography, enjoy this short featurette from Variety:

After its world premiere and Golden Lion victory at the 75th Venice Film Festival last August, Roma debuted domestically last month on Netflix and has been rapidly soaring to the tops of critics’ lists as one of the best films of 2018. Locally, the Chicago Film Critics Association cited Mexico’s official Oscar entry for Best Foreign Language Film with five awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Cinematography, and Best Editing, the most of any 2018 film. The CFCA joins twelve other regional critics groups (and counting) who have also bestowed Best Picture honors.

To the man who made Roma, this film is special. To those viewing it, this film is important. To the art it serves, this film could be a potential masterpiece, one springing forth from some of simplest and unassuming origins possible. Come and see what has earned such universal and warranted prestige.

FULL SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT SCHEDULE:

Wednesday, January 9- 7:00pm and 10:00pm

Thursday, January 10- 1pm, 4pm, 7:00pm, and 10:00pm

Friday, January 11- 1:45pm, 4:45pm, and 7:30pm

Saturday, January 12- 1:45pm, 4:45pm, and 7:30pm

Sunday January 13- 1:45pm, 4:45pm, and 7:30pm

The Music Box Theatre is located at 3733 North Southport Avenue in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago. Once again, tickets for this event are $15 ($12 for Music Box members) and available now at their box office or online.