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Gabriel Figueroa

Gabriel Figueroa

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.

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Under the Volcano

Under the Volcano

1984

Director of Photography

The Heart of the Night

The Heart of the Night

1984

Director of Photography

Mundo mágico

Mundo mágico

1983

Cinematography

Mexico 2000

Mexico 2000

1983

Cinematography

D.F./Distrito Federal

D.F./Distrito Federal

1981

Director of Photography

El héroe desconocido

El héroe desconocido

1981

Cinematography

The Border

The Border

1980

Director of Photography

At a Lame Pace

At a Lame Pace

1980

Director of Photography

The House of the Pelican

The House of the Pelican

1978

Cinematography

Cananea

Cananea

1978

Cinematography

The Children of Sanchez

The Children of Sanchez

1978

Director of Photography

Divinas palabras

Divinas palabras

1978

Director of Photography

Balún Canán

Balún Canán

1977

Director of Photography

Maten al León

Maten al León

1977

Cinematography

Life Changes

Life Changes

1976

Cinematography

Coronation

Coronation

1976

Director of Photography

Omen

Omen

1975

Cinematography

Cry of the Turtle

Cry of the Turtle

1975

Cinematography

Los perros de Dios

Los perros de Dios

1974

Director of Photography

The Master of Ballantrae

The Master of Ballantrae

1974

Director of Photography

El amor tiene cara de mujer

El amor tiene cara de mujer

1973

Director of Photography

El monasterio de los buitres

El monasterio de los buitres

1973

Cinematography

The She Wolf’s Orgy

The She Wolf’s Orgy

1972

Cinematography

The Children of Satan

The Children of Satan

1972

Cinematography

María

María

1972

Cinematography

El cielo y tú

El cielo y tú

1971

Director of Photography

El profe

El profe

1971

Director of Photography

La Generala

La Generala

1971

Director of Photography

Kelly's Heroes

Kelly's Heroes

1970

Director of Photography

The Phantom Gunslinger

The Phantom Gunslinger

1970

Director of Photography

Narda o el verano

Narda o el verano

1970

Director of Photography

Two Mules for Sister Sara

Two Mules for Sister Sara

1970

Director of Photography

The Door and The Butcher's Wife

The Door and The Butcher's Wife

1969

Director of Photography

The Big Cube

The Big Cube

1969

Director of Photography

Pax?

Pax?

1968

Director of Photography

The Chinese Room

The Chinese Room

1968

Director of Photography

Mariana

Mariana

1968

Director of Photography

The Scapular

The Scapular

1968

Director of Photography

El asesino se embarca

El asesino se embarca

1967

Director of Photography

Savage Sunday

Savage Sunday

1967

Cinematography, Director of Photography

Your Excellency

Your Excellency

1967

Director of Photography

Pedro Paramo

Pedro Paramo

1967

Director of Photography

Forbidden Cargo

Forbidden Cargo

1966

Director of Photography

¡Viva Benito Canales!

¡Viva Benito Canales!

1966

Director of Photography

The Four Juanes

The Four Juanes

1966

Cinematography

Love Love Love

Love Love Love

1965

Director of Photography

Las dos Elenas

Las dos Elenas

1965

Cinematography

The Beloved Ones

The Beloved Ones

1965

Cinematography

Simon of the Desert

Simon of the Desert

1965

Director of Photography

Escuela para solteras

Escuela para solteras

1965

Director of Photography

The Golden Cockerel

The Golden Cockerel

1964

Cinematography

The Night of the Iguana

The Night of the Iguana

1964

Director of Photography

The Posthumous Honors to the Distinguished Authors

The Posthumous Honors to the Distinguished Authors

1964

Director of Photography

En la mitad del mundo

En la mitad del mundo

1964

Director of Photography

Entrega Inmediata

Entrega Inmediata

1963

Director of Photography

Autumn Days

Autumn Days

1963

Director of Photography

The Paper Man

The Paper Man

1963

Director of Photography

La Bandida

La Bandida

1963

Director of Photography

El tejedor de milagros

El tejedor de milagros

1962

Director of Photography

The Exterminating Angel

The Exterminating Angel

1962

Director of Photography

The Important Man

The Important Man

1961

Director of Photography

The White Rose

The White Rose

1961

Director of Photography

Juana Gallo

Juana Gallo

1961

Director of Photography

The Young One

The Young One

1960

Director of Photography

Impaciencia del corazón

Impaciencia del corazón

1960

Director of Photography

Macario

Macario

1960

Director of Photography

La estrella vacía

La estrella vacía

1960

Cinematography

Fever Mounts at El Pao

Fever Mounts at El Pao

1959

Director of Photography

La Cucaracha

La Cucaracha

1959

Director of Photography

Sonatas

Sonatas

1959

Camera Operator, Director of Photography

Beyond All Limits

Beyond All Limits

1959

Director of Photography

Nazarin

Nazarin

1959

Director of Photography

30-30 Carbine

30-30 Carbine

1958

Director of Photography

The Smile of the Virgin

The Smile of the Virgin

1958

Photoscience Manager

Una cita de amor

Una cita de amor

1958

Director of Photography

Sueños de oro

Sueños de oro

1958

Director of Photography

El bolero de Raquel

El bolero de Raquel

1957

Director of Photography

The Hidden One

The Hidden One

1956

Cinematography

Basket of Mexican Tales

Basket of Mexican Tales

1956

Director of Photography

Pueblo, canto y esperanza

Pueblo, canto y esperanza

1956

Cinematography

La doncella de piedra

La doncella de piedra

1956

Director of Photography

La Tierra del Fuego se apaga

La Tierra del Fuego se apaga

1955

Cinematography

Estafa de amor

Estafa de amor

1955

Director of Photography

La mujer X

La mujer X

1955

Cinematography

El monstruo en la sombra

El monstruo en la sombra

1955

Director of Photography

La rosa blanca

La rosa blanca

1954

Cinematography

Take Me in Your Arms

Take Me in Your Arms

1954

Director of Photography

Camelia

Camelia

1954

Director of Photography

Rebellion of the Hanged

Rebellion of the Hanged

1954

Director of Photography

The Boy and the Fog

The Boy and the Fog

1953

Cinematography

El señor fotógrafo

El señor fotógrafo

1953

Director of Photography

Él

Él

1953

Director of Photography

Cuando levanta la niebla

Cuando levanta la niebla

1952

Director of Photography

Soledad's Shawl

Soledad's Shawl

1952

Director of Photography

El enamorado

El enamorado

1952

Director of Photography

Ahí viene Martín Corona

Ahí viene Martín Corona

1952

Director of Photography

El mar y tu

El mar y tu

1952

Cinematography

Siempre tuya

Siempre tuya

1952

Director of Photography

La bienamada

La bienamada

1951

Director of Photography

Las Islas Marias

Las Islas Marias

1951

Director of Photography

Pecado

Pecado

1951

Cinematography

Victims of Sin

Victims of Sin

1951

Director of Photography

The Young and the Damned

The Young and the Damned

1950

Director of Photography

One Day of Life

One Day of Life

1950

Director of Photography

The Torch

The Torch

1950

Director of Photography

Duelo en las montañas

Duelo en las montañas

1950

Director of Photography

Prisión de sueños

Prisión de sueños

1949

Cinematography

La malquerida

La malquerida

1949

Director of Photography

El embajador

El embajador

1949

Director of Photography

Pueblerina

Pueblerina

1949

Director of Photography

Opio

Opio

1949

Cinematography

Midnight

Midnight

1949

Director of Photography

Salon Mexico

Salon Mexico

1949

Director of Photography

Maclovia

Maclovia

1948

Director of Photography

Rio Escondido

Rio Escondido

1948

Director of Photography

The Fugitive

The Fugitive

1947

Director of Photography

The Pearl

The Pearl

1947

Director of Photography

Enamorada

Enamorada

1946

Director of Photography

The Last Adventure

The Last Adventure

1946

Director of Photography

Cantaclaro

Cantaclaro

1946

Director of Photography

One Day with the Devil

One Day with the Devil

1945

Director of Photography

Amor Prohibido

Amor Prohibido

1945

Director of Photography

Bugambilia

Bugambilia

1945

Director of Photography

The Abandoned

The Abandoned

1945

Cinematography

El corsario negro

El corsario negro

1944

Director of Photography

The Black Ace

The Black Ace

1944

Cinematography

La mujer sin cabeza

La mujer sin cabeza

1944

Cinematography

Maria Candelaria

Maria Candelaria

1944

Director of Photography

Another Dawn

Another Dawn

1943

Director of Photography

Wild Flower

Wild Flower

1943

Director of Photography

El circo

El circo

1943

Director of Photography

The Virgin who Forged a Fatherland

The Virgin who Forged a Fatherland

1942

Director of Photography

Story of a Great Love

Story of a Great Love

1942

Cinematography

The Three Musketeers

The Three Musketeers

1942

Director of Photography

Mi viuda alegre

Mi viuda alegre

1942

Director of Photography

La gallina clueca

La gallina clueca

1941

Director of Photography

La casa del rencor

La casa del rencor

1941

Director of Photography

The Unknown Policeman

The Unknown Policeman

1941

Director of Photography

Those Were The Days, Senor Don Simon!

Those Were The Days, Senor Don Simon!

1941

Director of Photography

El rápido de las 9.15

El rápido de las 9.15

1941

Director of Photography

Ni sangre ni arena

Ni sangre ni arena

1941

Director of Photography

Creo en Dios

Creo en Dios

1941

Director of Photography

The Mad Monk

The Mad Monk

1940

Director of Photography

Con su amable permiso

Con su amable permiso

1940

Director of Photography

El jefe máximo

El jefe máximo

1940

Director of Photography

Allá en el Trópico

Allá en el Trópico

1940

Director of Photography

¡Que viene mi marido!

¡Que viene mi marido!

1940

Director of Photography

The Underdogs

The Underdogs

1940

Director of Photography

La canción del milagro

La canción del milagro

1940

Director of Photography

The Night of the Mayans

The Night of the Mayans

1939

Director of Photography

La bestia negra

La bestia negra

1939

Director of Photography

La casa del ogro

La casa del ogro

1939

Director of Photography

Mientras México duerme

Mientras México duerme

1938

Director of Photography

Refugiados en Madrid

Refugiados en Madrid

1938

Director of Photography

La Adelita

La Adelita

1937

Director of Photography

Let's Go with Pancho Villa!

Let's Go with Pancho Villa!

1936

Camera Operator

Allá en el Rancho Grande

Allá en el Rancho Grande

1936

Director of Photography

Cielito lindo

Cielito lindo

1936

Director of Photography

Enemigos

Enemigos

1934

Still Photographer

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