Gravity (2013 film)
A 2013 film about astronauts surviving space debris.
Gravity (2013) is a science fiction thriller directed by Alfonso Cuarón, who also co-wrote, co-edited, and produced it. The lead roles are played by Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, portraying American astronauts trying to get back to Earth after their Space Shuttle is destroyed while in orbit. Cuarón developed the screenplay alongside his son Jonás, initially aiming to produce the film through Universal Pictures, but Warner Bros. Pictures later secured the distribution rights. David Heyman, who had collaborated with Cuarón on *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban* (2004), co-produced the project. Production took place entirely in the United Kingdom, where the visual effects company Framestore devoted over three years to crafting the film's visuals, which account for more than 80 of its 91-minute runtime.
The film premiered as the opening feature of the 70th Venice International Film Festival on August 28, 2013, and had its North American debut three days later at the Telluride Film Festival. Upon release, it received widespread critical acclaim, with particular praise for its direction, visual style, cinematography, performances, and musical score. It is regarded as one of the best films of 2013, appearing on many critics' year-end lists and earning a spot on the American Film Institute's annual Movies of the Year list. Commercially, it was the eighth-highest-grossing film of the year, earning over $723 million worldwide against a production budget of roughly $100 million.
At the 86th Academy Awards, *Gravity* led with 10 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actress for Bullock, and won a leading seven awards, including Best Director for Cuarón. At the 67th British Academy Film Awards, it received a leading 11 nominations, including Best Film and Best Actress for Bullock, and won a leading six awards, including Outstanding British Film and Best Director. The film also earned four nominations at the 71st Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Actress for Bullock, with Cuarón winning Best Director. At the 19th Critics' Choice Awards, it garnered 10 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actress, and won a leading seven awards, including Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie, Best Director, and Best Actress in an Action Movie for Bullock.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Alfonso Cuarón
- Producer
- Alfonso Cuarón · David Heyman
- Writer
- Alfonso Cuarón · Jonás Cuarón
- Starring
- Sandra Bullock · George Clooney
- Music
- Steven Price
- Cinematography
- Emmanuel Lubezki
- Editing
- Alfonso Cuarón · Mark Sanger
- Studio
- Heyday Films · Esperanto Filmoj
- Distributor
- Warner Bros. Pictures
- Released
- 28 August 2013 · Venice · 2013 · 10 · 04 · United States · 2013 · 11 · 07 · United Kingdom
- Runtime
- 91 minutes
- Country
- United Kingdom · United States
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Gravity opened the 70th Venice International Film Festival on August 28, 2013, and had its North American premiere three days later at the Telluride Film Festival. Cuarón wrote the screenplay with his son Jonás and attempted to develop the film at Universal Pictures. Later, the distribution rights were acquired by Warner Bros. Pictures. David Heyman, who previously worked with Cuarón on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), produced the film with him.
The plot follows Dr. Ryan Stone, a medical engineer on her first space mission, and veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski. After a debris cloud destroys their shuttle, they attempt to reach the International Space Station and later the Chinese Tiangong space station to return to Earth. The film explores themes of adversity, survival, and psychological resilience.
Gravity received a leading 10 nominations at the 86th Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actress (for Bullock), and won a leading seven awards, including Best Director (for Cuarón). At the 67th British Academy Film Awards, the film received a leading 11 nominations and won a leading 6 awards, including Outstanding British Film and Best Director.
Reader's Guide
Gravity is considered one of the best films of 2013, appearing on numerous critics' year-end lists and selected by the American Film Institute in their annual Movies of the Year list. It became the eighth-highest-grossing film of the year with a worldwide gross of over $723 million against a production budget of around $100 million. The film received widespread critical acclaim, with high praise for its direction, visuals, cinematography, acting, and score.
At the 19th Critics' Choice Awards, the film received 10 nominations and won a leading seven awards, including Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie, Best Director, and Best Actress in an Action Movie. Bullock also received a nomination for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role, while the film won the 2013 Ray Bradbury Award and the 2014 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation. Since its release, it has been cited as among the best films of the 2010s and the 21st century.
Did You Know?
- Gravity was produced entirely in the United Kingdom.
- British visual effects company Framestore spent more than three years creating most of the film's visual effects, which involve over 80 of its 91 minutes.
- The film won a leading seven awards at the 86th Academy Awards, including Best Director for Alfonso Cuarón.
- Sandra Bullock's role was extremely demanding and lonely; she called the experience 'frustrating, painful isolation' on set.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Gravity (2013 film) about?
The film follows two American astronauts who are stranded in low Earth orbit after a cloud of satellite debris obliterates their Space Shuttle. Forced to improvise with dwindling oxygen and broken equipment, they must figure out how to re-enter the atmosphere and make it back to the surface.
Who directed Gravity (2013 film)?
Alfonso Cuarón directed the project while also co-writing the screenplay with his son Jonás, co-editing the cut, and serving as a producer. The film was produced in the United Kingdom and ultimately distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures after Universal passed on the project.
How does Gravity (2013 film) end?
After a desperate trek across orbit, Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) reaches an abandoned Chinese space station and uses its re-entry capsule to descend back into the atmosphere. She splashes down safely in the Pacific Ocean, alive but forever altered by what she endured in space.
Why is Gravity (2013 film) considered hard science fiction?
Rather than leaning on speculative gadgets, the film grounds its tension in real orbital mechanics, EVA procedures, and the genuine lethality of high-velocity debris impacts. Cuarón worked closely with NASA consultants to make sure the physics of every spacewalk and the re-entry sequence felt physically plausible.
How did Gravity (2013 film) perform at the box office?
Made on an estimated $100 million budget, the film went on to collect well over $723 million in worldwide ticket sales. It also earned a full slate of Academy Award nominations, including Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Actress.
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