Cuarón Takes Home Two Academy Awards for “Gravity”

Alfonso Cuarón has matching Oscars to place on his mantel…

The 52-year-old Mexican filmmaker, a three-time nominee at this year’s Academy Awards, took home two prizes during the awards show.

Alfonso Cuarón

Cuarón was named Best Director for helming the 3D space thriller, Gravity, making him the first Mexican to win the award in that category.

During his acceptance speech, Cuarón paid special tribute to the film’s star Sandra Bullock.

“Sandy, you are Gravity, you are the soul and heart of the film. You are an amazing collaborator and one of the best people I have ever met,” he said.

Moments after Cuarón’s name was read, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto tweeted: “Extraordinary work. Congratulations!”

Speaking backstage after collecting his Oscar, Cuarón said he hoped his win would help shine a light on the work of other Mexican filmmakers, and Mexican culture.

“I don’t think there is enough attention paid to Mexican culture and what is happening in Mexico,” Cuaron said.

Cuarón had been predicted to win the best director award, having swept the category in other awards ceremonies before Sunday’s Oscars, including the Directors Guild of America’s top prize.

In addition, Cuarón took home another award, winning the Best Film Editing Oscar alongside Mark Sanger for his hands-on work on Gravity.

Meanwhile, Gravity’s lenser Emmanuel Lubezki followed up his American Society of Cinematographers Award win with the Academy Award for Best Cinematography.

It was the Mexican cinematographer’s first win in six nominations. He previously earned nods for lensing 1995’s A Little Princess, 1999’s Sleepy Hollow, 2005’s A New World, 2006’s Children of Men and 2011’s The Tree of Life. three of Lubezki’s nominations were for his work on Cuarón films.

In all, Gravity was the night’s big winner, taking home seven awards.

But Cuarón and Lubezki weren’t the only Latinos to take home their first Oscars…

Jared Leto, a first-time nominee, took home the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his critically acclaimed performance as male-to-female transgender character Rayon in Dallas Buyers Club. It’s a role the 42-year-old part-Spanish American actor discusses in a featurette from the film’s distributor Focus Features.

Here’s a complete look at this year’s Oscar winners:

Best picture
12 Years a Slave

Best actor
Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

Best actress
Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine

Best supporting actor
Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club

Best supporting actress
Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave

Best director
Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity

Best animated feature film
Frozen

Best foreign film
The Great Beauty

Best original screenplay
Her, Spike Jonze

Best adapted screenplay
12 Years a Slave, John Ridley

Best original score
Gravity

Best original song
Let It Go, from Frozen

Best cinematography
Gravity

Best costume design
The Great Gatsby

Best documentary feature
20 Feet From Stardom

Best documentary short subject
The Lady in Number 6

Best film editing
Gravity

Best makeup and hairstyling
Dallas Buyers Club

Best production design
The Great Gatsby

Best animated short film
Mr. Hublot

Best live-action short film
Helium

Best sound editing
Gravity

Best sound mixing
Gravity

Best visual effects
Gravity