Gabriel Figueroa

Gabriel Figueroa

CameraBorn Apr 24, 1907Died Apr 27, 1997

Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico

Gabriel Figueroa Mateos (April 24, 1907 – April 27, 1997) was a Mexican cinematographer who worked both in Mexican cinema and Hollywood. His mother died after giving birth to him. His father, unable to cope with the loss of his wife, left Gabriel and his brother Roberto to be cared for by their aunts. He studied painting at the Academia de San Carlos, and at the age of 16 he became interested in photography thanks to José Guadalupe Velasco. He later befriended other photographers, such as Gilberto Martínez Solares and Raúl Martínez Solares, and these three would then move on to cinematography. Figueroa made his entry in the movie industry in 1932 as a photographer of stills for the film Revolución of Miguel Contreras Torres. He was later one of the 20 cinematographers hired for the Howard Hawks film Viva Villa!. After a few jobs he obtained a scholarship to study in the United States where the established director of photography Gregg Toland taught Figueroa. Back in Mexico, his first film was Fernando de Fuentes's Allá en el Rancho Grande (1936) which would become one of the most popular films in Mexico and Latin America, and gave him his first award at the Venice Film Festival. He filmed 235 movies over 50 years, including Los Olvidados by Luis Buñuel, The Night of the Iguana by John Huston, The Fugitive by John Ford, and Río Escondido by Emilio Fernández. One of his main collaborators was Fernández, with whom he shot twenty films, some of which won prizes at the Venice Film Festival, the Cannes Film Festival, and the Berlin Film Festival. After collaborating with Fernández and Buñuel on their films with such actors as Dolores del Río, Pedro Armendáriz, María Félix, Jorge Negrete, Columba Domínguez, and Silvia Pinal, Figueroa has come to be regarded one of the most influential cinematographers active in México.

Known For

The Two Elenas poster
The Two Elenas
movie1965
Notes from Under the Volcano poster
Notes from Under the Volcano
movie1984
Macario poster
Macario
movie1960
The Scapular poster
The Scapular
movie1968
El señor fotógrafo poster
El señor fotógrafo
movie1953
The Young and the Damned poster
The Young and the Damned
movie1950
Your Excellency poster
Your Excellency
movie1967
The Important Man poster
The Important Man
movie1961
The Exterminating Angel poster
The Exterminating Angel
movie1962
Escuela para solteras poster
Escuela para solteras
movie1965
El profe poster
El profe
movie1971
Enamorada poster
Enamorada
movie1946

Filmography

1986The Hex 2: Messengers of Hellas Director of Photographymovie1984Notes from Under the Volcanoas Selfmovie1984Observations Under the Volcanoas Selfmovie1984Under the Volcanoas Director of Photographymovie1984The Heart of the Nightas Director of Photographymovie1983Mundo mágicoas Director of Photographymovie1983Mexico 2000as Director of Photographymovie1981D.F./Distrito Federalas Director of Photographymovie1981El héroe desconocidoas Director of Photographymovie1980The Borderas Director of Photographymovie1980At a Lame Paceas Director of Photographymovie1979México de mis amoresmovie1979Te quieroas Director of Photographymovie1978The House of the Pelicanas Director of Photographymovie1978Los hijos de Sanchezas Cinematographymovie1978Cananeaas Director of Photographymovie1978The Children of Sanchezas Director of Photographymovie1978Divine Wordsas Director of Photographymovie1977Balún Canánas Director of Photographymovie1977Maten al Leónas Director of Photographymovie1976Life Changesas Director of Photographymovie1976Coronationas Director of Photographymovie1975The Cry of the Turtleas Director of Photographymovie1974The Dogs of Godas Director of Photographymovie1974Omenas Director of Photographymovie1974Once Upon a Scoundrelas Director of Photographymovie1974The Master of Ballantraeas Director of Photographymovie1973El amor tiene cara de mujeras Director of Photographymovie1973The Monastery of the Vulturesas Director of Photographymovie1973Intervalas Director of Photographymovie1972The She Wolf's Orgyas Director of Photographymovie1972The Children of Satanas Director of Photographymovie1972Maríaas Director of Photographymovie1972Rosa blancaas Director of Photographymovie1971El cielo y túas Director of Photographymovie1971El profeas Director of Photographymovie1971La Generalaas Director of Photographymovie1970Kelly's Heroesas Director of Photographymovie1970The Phantom Gunslingeras Director of Photographymovie1970Narda or The Summeras Director of Photographymovie1970Two Mules for Sister Saraas Director of Photographymovie1969The Door and the Butcher's Wifeas Director of Photographymovie1969The Big Cubeas Director of Photographymovie1968Pax?as Director of Photographymovie1968The Chinese Roomas Director of Photographymovie1968Corazón salvajeas Director of Photographymovie1968Marianaas Director of Photographymovie1968The Scapularas Director of Photographymovie1968The Angels of Pueblaas Director of Photographymovie1967El asesino se embarcaas Director of Photographymovie1967Savage Sundayas Director of Photographymovie1967Your Excellencyas Director of Photographymovie1967Pedro Paramoas Director of Photographymovie1966Forbidden Cargoas Director of Photographymovie1966¡Viva Benito Canales!as Director of Photographymovie1966Los Cuatro Juanesas Director of Photographymovie1965Love Love Loveas Director of Photographymovie1965Lola of My Lifeas Director of Photographymovie1965The Two Elenasas Director of Photographymovie1965A Pure Soulas Director of Photographymovie1965The Beloved Onesas Director of Photographymovie1965Simon of the Desertas Director of Photographymovie1965Los tres calaverasas Director of Photographymovie1965Escuela para solterasas Director of Photographymovie1964The Golden Cockerelas Director of Photographymovie1964The Night of the Iguanaas Director of Photographymovie1964On the Trail of the Iguanaas Selfmovie1964The Posthumous Honors to the Distinguished Authorsas Director of Photographymovie1964En la mitad del mundoas Director of Photographymovie1963Entrega Inmediataas Director of Photographymovie1963Autumn Daysas Director of Photographymovie1963The Paper Manas Director of Photographymovie1963La Bandidaas Director of Photographymovie1962Miracles Weaveras Director of Photographymovie1962The Exterminating Angelas Director of Photographymovie1961The Important Manas Director of Photographymovie1961Juana Galloas Director of Photographymovie1960The Young Oneas Director of Photographymovie1960Impaciencia del corazónas Director of Photographymovie1960Macarioas Director of Photographymovie