Arturo Ripstein

Career overview

Arturo Ripstein y Rosen was born on December 13, 1943, in Mexico City, Mexico. As the son of producer Alfredo Ripstein Jr., he familiarized himself with the practices and rhythms of Mexican cinematography from a very young age. His career in film began when he worked as an uncredited assistant director for Luis Buñuel, starting with the 1962 film El angel exterminador.

In 1965, Ripstein directed his first feature film, the western titled Tiempo de morir, which was produced by his father and written by Carlos Fuentes and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. This marked the beginning of a tradition of making independent films written by high-profile Latin American authors. Considered the godfather of independent Mexican cinema, Ripstein's body of work as a director and screenwriter is generally characterized by somber, slow-paced, macabre melodramas tackling existential loneliness, often featuring a grotesque-like edge.

Throughout his career, several of his films have been entered into international competitions. His 1981 film Seduction and his 1989 film Love Lies were both entered into the Moscow International Film Festival. In 1997, Ripstein won the National Prize of Arts and Sciences, becoming the second filmmaker after Luis Buñuel to receive the honor.