Carlos Reygadas
Encyclopedia
Carlos Reygadas is a Mexican
filmmaker known for his three films Batalla en el Cielo
, Japón
and Silent Light
(Luz Silenciosa). After Batalla en el Cielo
, he was known for his raw depiction of sex in his films and the use of old or ugly-seeming characters. His films explore spirituality and the sublime through the interior lives of men suffering existential crises. Reygadas has shot all but one of his films in CinemaScope
. With Silent Light, Reygadas competed once more for the Palme d'Or
at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival
, and has become one of the most prominent writer–directors of modern cinema.
Martin Scorsese
called Silent Light "A surprising picture, and a very moving one as well."
's films. He attended Mount St Mary's College
, Derbyshire, and later studied Law in Mexico. Afterward, he specialized in armed conflicts in London and worked for the United Nations.
In 1997, Reygadas participated in a film competition in Belgium with his first short film, Maxhumain. Shortly after that, in 1999, he began writing his first long film, Japón, which he did not begin to shoot until 2001. The film was presented at the Rotterdam Film Festival and received a special mention for the Caméra d'Or
award at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival
as well as the Coral Award of the Havana Film Festival
.
In 2004, Carlos Reygadas produced the film Sangre
, which was directed by the young filmmaker Amat Escalante
. It was presented at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival
and won in the Un Certain Regard
section. It was also presented in other festivals, such as the Toulouse Film Festival, the International Film Festival Rotterdam, the San Sebastian International Film Festival
, and the Austin Film Festival
.
In 2005 Reygadas filmed Batalla en el Cielo (Battle in Heaven) assisted by Amat Escalante. The film gained worldwide notoriety for its graphic sex. It competed for the Palme d’Or at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival
.
In 2007 Reygadas filmed Silent Light, which went on to win the Jury Prize at Cannes and is very highly regarded by American filmmaker Martin Scorsese
, who considers it a masterpiece of modern cinema.
In 2009 Carlos Reygadas co-produced and co-edited, with the Spanish director Jaime Rosales, the film "El árbol" (The Tree, a Spanish-Mexican co-production), directed by Carlos Serrano Azcona. It was presented at the 2009 Rotterdam Film Festival.
In early 2010, Reygadas announced plans for his next feature film at the Berlin Film Festival, titled Post Tenebras Lux. It is a semi-autobiographical fiction film and is about "feelings, memories, dreams, things I've hoped for, fears, facts of my current life." Reygadas also said of the film in Berlin, reason will intervene as little as possible, like an expressionist painting where you try to express what you're feeling through the painting rather than depict what something looks like." It will be shot in Mexico, Britain, Spain, and Belgium, all places where Reygadas has lived. It is in production as of 2011.
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
filmmaker known for his three films Batalla en el Cielo
Batalla en el cielo
Battle in Heaven is a 2005 Mexican-French-German film. It is the second film by director Carlos Reygadas who previously directed the Mexican film Japón. It was entered into the 2005 Cannes Film Festival...
, Japón
Japón (film)
Japón is the 2002 debut film of the Mexican director Carlos Reygadas.- Plot :The film follows a man going through an acute existential crisis. He leaves Mexico City to go to camp and prepare for his death, staying with an old Indian widow in her ramshackle home overlooking a desolate canyon...
and Silent Light
Silent Light
- External links :* * at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival* - External links :* * at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival* - External links :* * at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival*...
(Luz Silenciosa). After Batalla en el Cielo
Batalla en el cielo
Battle in Heaven is a 2005 Mexican-French-German film. It is the second film by director Carlos Reygadas who previously directed the Mexican film Japón. It was entered into the 2005 Cannes Film Festival...
, he was known for his raw depiction of sex in his films and the use of old or ugly-seeming characters. His films explore spirituality and the sublime through the interior lives of men suffering existential crises. Reygadas has shot all but one of his films in CinemaScope
CinemaScope
CinemaScope was an anamorphic lens series used for shooting wide screen movies from 1953 to 1967. Its creation in 1953, by the president of 20th Century-Fox, marked the beginning of the modern anamorphic format in both principal photography and movie projection.The anamorphic lenses theoretically...
. With Silent Light, Reygadas competed once more for the Palme d'Or
Palme d'Or
The Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival and is presented to the director of the best feature film of the official competition. It was introduced in 1955 by the organising committee. From 1939 to 1954, the highest prize was the Grand Prix du Festival International du...
at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival
2007 Cannes Film Festival
The 2007 Cannes Film Festival, the sixtieth, ran from 16 to 27 May 2007. Wong Kar-wai's My Blueberry Nights opened the festival, and Denys Arcand's The Age of Ignorance closed...
, and has become one of the most prominent writer–directors of modern cinema.
Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film historian. In 1990 he founded The Film Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to film preservation, and in 2007 he founded the World Cinema Foundation...
called Silent Light "A surprising picture, and a very moving one as well."
Biography
In 1987 Carlos Reygadas discovered his filmic passion after watching Andrei TarkovskyAndrei Tarkovsky
Andrei Arsenyevich Tarkovsky was a Soviet and Russian filmmaker, writer, film editor, film theorist, theatre and opera director, widely regarded as one of the finest filmmakers of the 20th century....
's films. He attended Mount St Mary's College
Mount St Mary's College
Mount St Mary's College is an independent coeducational boarding school situated at Spinkhill, Derbyshire, near Sheffield, England. It was founded in 1842 by Fr Randal Lythgoe, the Provincial Superior of the Society of Jesus, a Roman Catholic religious order commonly known as the Jesuits. The...
, Derbyshire, and later studied Law in Mexico. Afterward, he specialized in armed conflicts in London and worked for the United Nations.
In 1997, Reygadas participated in a film competition in Belgium with his first short film, Maxhumain. Shortly after that, in 1999, he began writing his first long film, Japón, which he did not begin to shoot until 2001. The film was presented at the Rotterdam Film Festival and received a special mention for the Caméra d'Or
Caméra d'Or
The Caméra d'Or is an award of the Cannes Film Festival for the best first feature film presented in one of the Cannes' selections ....
award at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival
2002 Cannes Film Festival
The 2002 Cannes Film Festival started on 15 May and ran until 26 May. The Palme d'Or went to the Polish-French-German-British co-produced film The Pianist directed by Roman Polanski.-Jury:* David Lynch * Sharon Stone* Michelle Yeoh...
as well as the Coral Award of the Havana Film Festival
Havana Film Festival
The Havana Film Festival is a Cuban festival that focuses on the promotion of Spanish-language filmmakers. It is also known in Spanish as Festival Internacional del Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano de La Habana, and in English as Festival of New Latinamerican Cinema of La Havana.The festival takes place...
.
In 2004, Carlos Reygadas produced the film Sangre
Sangre (film)
Sangre is a 2005 Mexican drama film directed by Amat Escalante. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Cirilo Recio Dávila - Diego* Claudia Orozco - Karina* Martha Preciado - Martita...
, which was directed by the young filmmaker Amat Escalante
Amat Escalante
Amat Escalante is a Mexican director, producer and screenwriter known for his films Sangre and Los Bastardos.- Biography :...
. It was presented at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival
2004 Cannes Film Festival
The 2004 Cannes Film Festival started on May 12 and ran until May 23. The Palme d'Or went to the American film Fahrenheit 9/11 by Michael Moore.-Jury:* Quentin Tarantino, President * Emmanuelle Béart * Edwidge Danticat * Tilda Swinton...
and won in the Un Certain Regard
Un Certain Regard
Un Certain Regard is a section of the Cannes Film Festival's Official Selection. It is run at the Salle Debussy, parallel to the competition for the Palme d'Or.This section was introduced in 1978 by Gilles Jacob...
section. It was also presented in other festivals, such as the Toulouse Film Festival, the International Film Festival Rotterdam, the San Sebastian International Film Festival
San Sebastián International Film Festival
The San Sebastián International Film Festival is an annual FIAPF A category film festival held in the Spanish city of San Sebastián .-History:The festival was founded in 1953...
, and the Austin Film Festival
Austin Film Festival
The Austin Film Festival was started in 1994 in Austin, Texas and is claimed to be "the first organization of its kind to focus on the writer’s unique creative contribution to the film and television industries"...
.
In 2005 Reygadas filmed Batalla en el Cielo (Battle in Heaven) assisted by Amat Escalante. The film gained worldwide notoriety for its graphic sex. It competed for the Palme d’Or at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival
2005 Cannes Film Festival
The 2005 Cannes Film Festival started on May 11 and ran until May 22. Twenty movies from 13 countries were selected to compete. The awards were announced on May 21...
.
In 2007 Reygadas filmed Silent Light, which went on to win the Jury Prize at Cannes and is very highly regarded by American filmmaker Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film historian. In 1990 he founded The Film Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to film preservation, and in 2007 he founded the World Cinema Foundation...
, who considers it a masterpiece of modern cinema.
In 2009 Carlos Reygadas co-produced and co-edited, with the Spanish director Jaime Rosales, the film "El árbol" (The Tree, a Spanish-Mexican co-production), directed by Carlos Serrano Azcona. It was presented at the 2009 Rotterdam Film Festival.
In early 2010, Reygadas announced plans for his next feature film at the Berlin Film Festival, titled Post Tenebras Lux. It is a semi-autobiographical fiction film and is about "feelings, memories, dreams, things I've hoped for, fears, facts of my current life." Reygadas also said of the film in Berlin, reason will intervene as little as possible, like an expressionist painting where you try to express what you're feeling through the painting rather than depict what something looks like." It will be shot in Mexico, Britain, Spain, and Belgium, all places where Reygadas has lived. It is in production as of 2011.
Japón controversy
Japón contains a number of scenes of real animal cruelty and the British Board of Film Classification demanded cuts for its UK release in accordance with the Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act 1937. The excised scenes are described as an unsuccessful attempt to strangle a bird that then stumbles around injured on the ground and a dog being forced to sing along with a song through the application of a painful stimulus. The film also includes an unsimulated scene of a bird being shot down and then killed by having its head torn off and the (off-camera) slaughter of a pig.Filmography
- Post Tenebras Lux (2011)
- Luz SilenciosaSilent Light- External links :* * at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival* - External links :* * at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival* - External links :* * at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival*...
(2007) - Batalla en el CieloBatalla en el cieloBattle in Heaven is a 2005 Mexican-French-German film. It is the second film by director Carlos Reygadas who previously directed the Mexican film Japón. It was entered into the 2005 Cannes Film Festival...
(2005) - JapónJapón (film)Japón is the 2002 debut film of the Mexican director Carlos Reygadas.- Plot :The film follows a man going through an acute existential crisis. He leaves Mexico City to go to camp and prepare for his death, staying with an old Indian widow in her ramshackle home overlooking a desolate canyon...
(2002) - Maxhumain (short) (1999)