Alfonso Cuarón’s TV Series ‘Disclaimer’ Gets 6-Minute Ovation At Venice Film Festival Premiere

Nancy Tartaglione and Nada Aboul Kheir
·2 min read

The first four episodes of Alfonso Cuarón’s limited series Disclaimer world premiered Thursday afternoon at the Venice Film Festival. Oscar winners Cuarón, Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline were in the audience, which gave the show 6-minute, 24-second ovation at the Sala Grande.

The series marks Cuarón’s first directorial credit since his 2019 Best Picture Oscar winner Roma and a rare foray into television. It is in Venice in a subsection of the festival’s Out of Competition strand reserved for TV series.

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The Apple TV+ psychological thriller stars Blanchett and Kline and is told in seven chapters (the remaining episodes will be shown in Venice on Friday). Written and directed by Cuarón, Disclaimer is based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Renée Knight.

The series follows journalist Catherine Ravenscroft (Blanchett), who built her reputation revealing the misdeeds and transgressions of others. When she receives a novel from an unknown author, she is horrified to realize she is now the main character in a story that exposes her darkest secrets.

As Catherine races to uncover the writer’s true identity, she is forced to confront her past before it destroys both her own life and her relationships with her husband Robert (Cohen) and their son Nicholas (Smit-McPhee). Kline plays Stephen Brigstocke, a retired professor who harbors a grudge against Catherine.

Earlier in the day, Cuaron told the press corps that he had Blanchett in mind for the role of Catherine from early on in his writing process. “I was terrified that she would say no,” he said.

He also revealed it was Blanchett who had suggested Kline for the professor role after a conservation about A Fish Called Wanda (starring the actor in one of his best known roles) at a dinner party in New York.

The ensemble cast also includes Lesley Manville, Louis Partridge, Leila George and Hoyeon. Indira Varma is narrator.

Disclaimer debuts October 11 on Apple TV+ with the first two episodes, followed by new episodes every Friday through November 15.

From Apple Studios, Disclaimer is co-produced by Esperanto Filmoj and Anonymous Content. Cuarón executive produces for Esperanto Filmoj alongside Gabriela Rodriguez. In addition to starring, Blanchett serves as executive producer. David Levine and the late Steve Golin executive produce for Anonymous Content.

Emmanuel Lubezki, Donald Sabourin and Carlos Morales also executive produce. Renée Knight serves as co-executive producer. Lubezki and Academy Award nominee Bruno Delbonnel serve as directors of photography. The score is composed by Finneas O’Connell.

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