Alfonso Cuarón Reflects on Making ‘Harry Potter’: “Two of the Most Beautiful Years of My Life”

In the impeccable filmography of Alfonso Cuarón , Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban undoubtedly stands out a little. The film is beloved by fans as one of the strongest installments of the Harry Potter franchise, but it’s also one of the few projects that the multi-Oscar-winning director of Gravity and Roma didn’t develop and write himself.

Cuarón admits he was “a little reluctant to do it” when the opportunity to take on the world of Harry Potter first came his way, but he says making the film was nonetheless one of the most rewarding experiences of his career. Related Stories Movies Brad Bird on Finally Making 'Ray Gunn,' His Live-Action Run and When Things Turned Political at Disney Movies Anime Director Masaaki Yuasa Set to Curate Toronto Fest Classic Film Showcase

Speaking at the Busan International Film Festival in South Korea on Thursday, Cuarón said, “In many ways, Harry Potter gave me many things — one thing is two of the most beautiful years of my life.”

“I learned so much,” he continued. “I had no idea about visual effects before, but then after Harry Potter it was like second nature. And the whole collaborative work with people who were at the very top of their games — the best production designer, the best cinematographer, like amazing people working together.”

Cuarón also suggested that the industry cachet he gained from the franchise film’s success allowed him to pursue the passion project that has become one of his most acclaimed works among film buffs.

“I had written Children of Men before, and nobody wanted to do it,” he explained. “Then I did Harry Potter , and after, I was able to make Children of Men . So, I have nothing but gratitude towards Harry Potter ,” he said.

Cuarón made his first trip to South Korea this week to attend the Busan festival, Asia’s leading cinema event, alongside his filmmaker son Jonás Cuarón, who is presenting his latest feature, Campeón Gabacho , at the event. After attending an Imax screening of his contemporary sci-fi classic Gravity , the elder Cuarón sat down for a master class discussion moderated by Korean director Yeon Sang-ho, best known internationally for his zombie movie sensation Train to Busan . The two directors became acquaintances after that film’s success, with Cuarón later executive producing Yeon’s 2025 mystery thriller Revelations .

The conversation caught Cuarón in a reflective mood, with his observations offering as much life wisdom as insight into filmmaking craft.

“Your films often feel extraordinarily precise and meticulously constructed, yet there is always a sense of life within the frame, as though something unexpected could happen at any moment,” Yeon told Cuarón, adding that he felt this quality particularly strongly in Children of Men . “For a director, do you think control and the unexpected are opposites to each other, or is it only through rigorous control that you can create the conditions to truly embrace the unexpected?” he asked.

“I tend to prepare a lot, and I tend to think and imagine the way that I want the film to be in my head — but then reality starts to shape it,” Cuarón replied.