Gabriel Figueroa
Camera·April 24, 1907·† April 27, 1997 — 90 years old·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
Filmography · 184
1986The Hex 2: Messengers of HellDirector of Photography1984Notes from Under the VolcanoSelf1984Observations Under the VolcanoSelf1984Under the VolcanoDirector of Photography1984The Heart of the NightDirector of Photography1983Mundo mágicoDirector of Photography1983El héroe desconocidoDirector of Photography1983Mexico 2000Director of Photography1981D.F./Distrito FederalDirector of Photography1980The BorderDirector of Photography1980At a Lame PaceDirector of Photography1979México de mis amores1979Te quieroDirector of Photography1978The House of the PelicanDirector of Photography1978Los hijos de SanchezCinematography1978CananeaDirector of Photography1978The Children of SanchezDirector of Photography1978Divine WordsDirector of Photography1977Balún CanánDirector of Photography1977Maten al LeónDirector of Photography1976Life ChangesDirector of Photography1976CoronationDirector of Photography1975The Cry of the TurtleDirector of Photography1974The Dogs of GodDirector of Photography1974OmenDirector of Photography1974Once Upon a ScoundrelDirector of Photography1974The Master of BallantraeDirector of Photography1973El amor tiene cara de mujerDirector of Photography1973The Monastery of the VulturesDirector of Photography1973IntervalDirector of Photography1972The She Wolf's OrgyDirector of Photography1972The Children of SatanDirector of Photography1972MaríaDirector of Photography1971El cielo y túDirector of Photography1971El profeDirector of Photography1971La GeneralaDirector of Photography1970Kelly's HeroesDirector of Photography1970The Phantom GunslingerDirector of Photography1970Narda or The SummerDirector of Photography1970Two Mules for Sister SaraDirector of Photography1969The Door and the Butcher's WifeDirector of Photography1969The Big CubeDirector of Photography1968Pax?Director of Photography1968The Chinese RoomDirector of Photography1968Corazón salvajeDirector of Photography1968MarianaDirector of Photography1968The ScapularDirector of Photography1968The Angels of PueblaDirector of Photography1967El asesino se embarcaDirector of Photography1967Savage SundayDirector of Photography1967Your ExcellencyDirector of Photography1967Pedro ParamoDirector of Photography1966Forbidden CargoDirector of Photography1966¡Viva Benito Canales!Director of Photography1966Los Cuatro JuanesDirector of Photography1965Love Love LoveDirector of Photography1965Lola of My LifeDirector of Photography1965The Two ElenasDirector of Photography1965A Pure SoulDirector of Photography1965The Beloved OnesDirector of Photography1965Simon of the DesertDirector of Photography1965Los tres calaverasDirector of Photography1965Escuela para solterasDirector of Photography1964The Golden CockerelDirector of Photography1964The Night of the IguanaDirector of Photography1964On the Trail of the IguanaSelf1964The Posthumous Honors to the Distinguished AuthorsDirector of Photography1964En la mitad del mundoDirector of Photography1963Entrega InmediataDirector of Photography1963Autumn DaysDirector of Photography1963The Paper ManDirector of Photography1963La BandidaDirector of Photography1962Miracles WeaverDirector of Photography1962The Exterminating AngelDirector of Photography1961The Important ManDirector of Photography1961The White RoseDirector of Photography1961Juana GalloDirector of Photography1960The Young OneDirector of Photography1960Impaciencia del corazónDirector of Photography1960MacarioDirector of Photography1960La estrella vacíaDirector of Photography1959Fever Mounts at El PaoDirector of Photography1959La CucarachaDirector of Photography1959SonatasCamera Operator · Director of Photography1959Isla para dosDirector of Photography1959Beyond All LimitsDirector of Photography1959NazarínDirector of Photography1958Carabina 30-30Director of Photography1958The Smile of the VirginDirector of Photography1958Love of a Cabaret SingerDirector of Photography1958El cine mexicano de fiestaSelf1958La rebelión de la sierra: El Fin de Heraclio BernalDirector of Photography1958El rayo de Sinaloa: La venganza de Heraclio BernalDirector of Photography1958Una cita de amorDirector of Photography1958Here is Heraclius BernalDirector of Photography1958Sueños de oroDirector of Photography1957El bolero de RaquelDirector of Photography1956The Hidden OneDirector of Photography1956Basket of Mexican TalesDirector of Photography1956People, Song and HopeDirector of Photography1956Historia de un amorDirector of Photography1956La doncella de piedraDirector of Photography1955La Tierra del Fuego se apagaDirector of Photography1955Estafa de amorDirector of Photography1955La mujer XDirector of Photography1955El monstruo en la sombraDirector of Photography1954La rosa blancaDirector of Photography1954Take Me in Your ArmsDirector of Photography1954CameliaDirector of Photography1954Rebellion of the HangedDirector of Photography1953The Boy and the FogDirector of Photography1953AnxietyDirector of Photography1953El señor fotógrafoDirector of Photography1953ÉlDirector of Photography1952When the Fog LiftsDirector of Photography1952Soledad's ShawlDirector of Photography1952El enamoradoDirector of Photography1952The Straying RoosterDirector of Photography1952Ahí viene Martín CoronaDirector of Photography1952The Sea and YouDirector of Photography1952Siempre tuyaDirector of Photography1951La bienamadaDirector of Photography1951Las Islas MariasDirector of Photography1951PecadoDirector of Photography1951Victims of SinDirector of Photography1950The Young and the DamnedDirector of Photography1950One Day of LifeDirector of Photography1950The TorchDirector of Photography1950Duelo en las montañasDirector of Photography1949Prisión de sueñosDirector of Photography1949The Unloved WomanDirector of Photography1949El embajadorDirector of Photography1949PueblerinaDirector of Photography1949OpiumDirector of Photography1949MidnightDirector of Photography1949Salon MexicoDirector of Photography1948MacloviaDirector of Photography1948Hidden RiverDirector of Photography1947The FugitiveDirector of Photography1947The PearlDirector of Photography1946EnamoradaDirector of Photography1946The Last AdventureDirector of Photography1946CantaclaroDirector of Photography1945One Day with the DevilDirector of Photography1945BugambiliaDirector of Photography1945The AbandonedDirector of Photography1944El corsario negroDirector of Photography1944La FugaDirector of Photography1944The Black AceDirector of Photography1944The Headless WomanDirector of Photography1944Maria CandelariaDirector of Photography1943Another DawnDirector of Photography1943Wild FlowerDirector of Photography1943El circoDirector of Photography1942The Virgin who Forged a FatherlandDirector of Photography1942Story of a Great LoveDirector of Photography1942The Three MusketeersDirector of Photography1942Cuando viajan las estrellasDirector of Photography1942Mi viuda alegreDirector of Photography1941La gallina cluecaDirector of Photography1941La casa del rencorDirector of Photography1941The Unknown PolicemanDirector of Photography1941Those Were The Days, Senor Don Simon!Director of Photography1941El rápido de las 9.15Director of Photography1941Ni sangre ni arenaDirector of Photography1941Creo en DiosDirector of Photography1940The Mad MonkDirector of Photography1940Con su amable permisoDirector of Photography1940El jefe máximoDirector of Photography1940Allá en el TrópicoDirector of Photography1940¡Que viene mi marido!Director of Photography1940The UnderdogsDirector of Photography1940La canción del milagroDirector of Photography1939The Night of the MayansDirector of Photography1939La bestia negraDirector of Photography1939La casa del ogroDirector of Photography1938Mientras México duermeDirector of Photography1938Refugiados en MadridDirector of Photography1937La AdelitaDirector of Photography1937Las mujeres mandanDirector of Photography1936Let's Go with Pancho Villa!Camera Operator1936Allá en el Rancho GrandeDirector of Photography1936Cielito lindoDirector of Photography1934EnemigosStill Photographer