Luis Buñuel

22.02.1900 - 29.07.1983

 

Director

Buńuel is a director, screenwriter, producer and father of the surrealist film movement. He is an avid critic of the church, traditional norms and conformism. As a child he attended a Jesuit school and later enrolled in university in Madrid where he studied literature and philosophy. At that time he got interested in film, joined the Spanish film club and wrote his first film critiques. In 1925, he went to Paris and joined the circle of surrealists, which included Salvador Dali and André Breton. He was an assistant to the director Jean Epstein on the films Mauprat (1926) and The Fall of the House of Usher (La chute de la maison Usher, 1928). In collaboration with Dali he directed the short experimental film An Andalusian Dog (Un chien andalou, 1929), a master piece of film surrealism. His next film Age of Gold (L' Âge d'or, 1930) was soon banned and most of its copies were destroyed. Afterwards he made the short documentary Land Without Bread (Las hurdes, 1933), after which he joined the Republicans. After their defeat in the Civil War in 1939, Buńuel left the country and remained in exile for a long time. In New York he worked in the Museum of Modern Art and in 1946 he accepted the offer to direct films in Mexico. His film The Young and the Damned (Los olvidados, 1950.) won an award in Cannes in 1951 and in 1956 he left Mexico and went to Paris. The first film he made in Spain after a long time was Viridiana (1961). His other important films include The Exterminating Angel (El ángel exterminador, 1962), his last short film Simon of the Desert (Simón del desierto, 1965), The Diary of a Chambermaid (Le journal d'une femme de chambre, 1964), his first film in color Beautiful of the Day (Belle de jour, 1967) that won the Golden Lion in Venice in 1967, Tristana (1970), made in Spain, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (Le charme discret de la bourgeoisie, 1972) that received the Oscar as Best Foreign Film in 1973, and his last two films The Phantom of Liberty (Le fantôme de la liberté, 1974) and That Obscure Object of Desire (Cet obscur objet du désir, 1977).

Filmography

Cet obscur objet du désir (1977)
Le fantôme de la liberté (1974)
Le charme discret de la bourgeoisie (1972)
Tristana (1970)
La voie lactée (1969)
Belle de jour (1967)
Simón del desierto (1965)
Le journal d'une femme de chambre (1964)
El ángel exterminador (1962)
Viridiana (1961)
The Young One (1960)
La fièvre monte à El Pao (1959)
Nazarín (1959)
La mort en ce jardin (1956)
Cela s'appelle l'aurore (1956)
El río y la muerte (1955)
Ensayo de un crimen/La vida criminal de Archibaldo de la Cruz (1955)
Las aventuras de Robinson Crusoe (1954)
Cumbres borrascosas (1954)
La illusión viaja en tranvía (1954)
El (1953)
El bruto (1953)
Una mujer sin amor (1952)
Subida al cielo (1952)
La hija del engaño (1951)
Susana (1951)
Los olvidados (1950)
El gran Calavera (1949)
Gran Casino (1947)
Las hurdes (1933)
L' age d'or (1930)
Un chien andalou (1929)


Films by this director

An Andalusian Dog

(Un chien andalou, France, 1929)

Directed by: Luis Buñuel
PHOTOGRAPHY: Albert Duverger
Synopsis:

This is a legendary surrealist film and the directing debut by Luis Buńuel, which he made together with Salvador Dalí. According to Buńuel, this film was an elaboration of two dreams that he and Dalí had had. It consists of unconnected surreal pictures without any linear narration.

b/w, 16'

Viridiana

(Spain, Mexico, 1961)

Directed by: Luis Buñuel
PHOTOGRAPHY: José F. Aguayo
Synopsis:

This was Buńuel’s first film made in Spain after 25 years of exile. It won the Golden Palm in Cannes in 1961. Viridiana is a young nun who is about to take her vows. Immediately before an older nun in her convent tells Viridiana she should visit her uncle Jorge who had supported her up to then. Since Viridiana looks a lot like Jorge’s late wife, he tries to persuade the young girl to stay with him at his estate…

b/w, 90'

The Exterminating Angel

(El ángel exterminador, Mexico, 1962)

Directed by: Luis Buñuel
PHOTOGRAPHY: Gabriel Figueroa
Synopsis:

This is a bitter satire that follows the progressive degeneration of a group of noble people into bestial savages. The film begins with a group of guests arriving to dinner. They are all elegantly dressed and they seem to be having a great time. After dinner they retire to the salon where they learn that all the servants have disappeared and that they for some unknown reason cannot leave the room even though all windows and doors are open.

b/w, 95'

Simon of the Desert

(Simón del desierto, Mexico, 1965)

Directed by: Luis Buñuel
PHOTOGRAPHY: Gabriel Figueroa
Synopsis:

The story takes place in the 5th century and the protagonist is the recluse Simón (based on St. Simón). He is deeply religious and, wishing to become closer to God, he climbs on a pole in the desert. There a devil appears and tests Simón’s faith. Each time the devil appears in a different form - he comes as a woman, a shepherd and a priest, but Simón sees through him every time. In the end, the devil takes Simón to a disco in New York in the 1960s.

b/w, 43'

The Golden Age

(L' Âge d'or, France, 1930)

Directed by: Luis Buñuel
PHOTOGRAPHY: Albert Duverger
Synopsis:

This is the directing debut of one of the most famous representatives of surrealism, Luis Buńuel. Zlatno doba is Buńuel’s critique of religion and the bourgeois that starts as a documentary about scorpions. The basic motif becomes a loving couple who are constantly distracted from their attempts to make love.

b/w, 63'

That Is the Dawn

(Cela s'appelle l'aurore, France, Italy, 1955)

Directed by: Luis Buñuel
PHOTOGRAPHY: Robert Lefebvre
Synopsis:

The kind-hearted Doctor Valerio and his wife get transferred to a new post on a Mediterranean island. The doctor, who is always ready to help other people, is disgusted with the way the local factory owner exploits his employees. The arrival of a beautiful stranger named Clara marks the beginning of a new era in the doctor’s life. First he falls in love with Clara and his wife leaves him. Finally he decides to confront the factory owner.

b/w, 102'

The Young One

(La joven, Mexico, 1960)

Directed by: Luis Buñuel
PHOTOGRAPHY: Gabriel Figueroa
Synopsis:

Traver, a young black musician, is on the run after being falsely accused of rape. He arrives to an isolated island inhabited by the middle-aged Miller and fourteen-year-old Evalyn, whose grandpa recently passed away. Now Miller takes care of the girl and plans to marry her. During Miller’s absence from the island, Traver meets Evalyn and pays her for some food and a gun. When Miller finds out about Traver’s visit he decides to find him and kill him. But soon a priest arrives to the island and l...

b/w, 96'

The Diary of a Chambermaid

(Le journal d'une femme de chambre, France, Italy, 1964)

Directed by: Luis Buñuel
PHOTOGRAPHY: Roger Fellous
Synopsis:

We follow the life story of the maid Céléstine. In the 1930s, she works at the Monteil family’s estate in the country. The family consists of Mr Rabour, with a fetish for shoes, his frigid daughter and her maid-chasing husband. Céléstine has to learn to cope with her new surroundings which also include Joseph, a fascist ranger who flirts with her and their neighbor, a retired officer who cannot stand Mr. Monteil.

b/w, 97'

Belle de jour

(France, 1967)

Directed by: Luis Buñuel
PHOTOGRAPHY: Sacha Vierny
Synopsis:

Séverine is a beautiful young woman married to a doctor. Even though she loves her husband, she is bored with her marriage and totally sexually disinterested in her husband. Soon, she starts having lively sexual fantasies, which she quickly starts to turn into reality when she gets a job as a prostitute in a nearby bordello. Her professional name is Belle de jour. Or is this just her fantasy? This film won the Golden lion in Venice in 1967.  

color, 100'

The Milky Way

(La voie lactée, France, Italy, West Germany, 1969)

Directed by: Luis Buñuel
PHOTOGRAPHY: Christian Matras
Synopsis:

Two pilgrims, Pierre and Jean travel to Santiago de Compostella in North Spain. Along the way, their faith is challenged when they meet a diverse group of priests, nuns, Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, Marquis De Sade, and the devil...

color, 105'

That Obscure Object of Desire

(Cet obscur objet du désir, France, Spain, 1977)

Directed by: Luis Buñuel
PHOTOGRAPHY: Edmond Richard
Synopsis:

This is Luis Buńuel’s last film and it tells the story of Mathieu and Conchita’s relationship. He is a rich middle-aged French man and she is his former nineteen-year-old maid who. He is attracted to her and she plays a game of cat and mouse with him. It is an interesting side-light that two actresses play Conchita. The story of their affair is told by Mathieu during a ride on a train after he pours a bucket of water on a young girl’s head at the train station.

color, 103'

The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie

(Le charme discret de la bourgeoisie, France, Italy, Spain, 1972)

Directed by: Luis Buñuel
PHOTOGRAPHY: Edmond Richard
Synopsis:

This social satire was awarded an Oscar for Best Foreign Film in 1973. The central story revolves around attempts by a group of well-off friends and acquaintances to meet for dinner. This conventional and in no way special social event will turn out to be almost impossible to achieve as different obstacles start to appear one after another.

color, 102'

Tristana

(Spain, Italy, France, 1970)

Directed by: Luis Buñuel
PHOTOGRAPHY: José F. Aguayo
Synopsis:

Toledo 1923. Mlada, 19-godišnja Tristana, ostavši bez majke, postaje štićenica uglednog, mnogo starijeg don Lopea Garrida. Don Lope, antiklerikalac sklon socijalističkim idejama i liberalnom poimanju seksualnosti, zavede mladu i nevinu djevojku te ona postaje njegova ljubavnica, a njihov odnos spaja supružničke i roditeljsko-kćerinske elemente. Na riječima, stari uglednik uvažava Tristanino pravo na samostalnost, no u praksi je ograničava, želeći da što manje napu&sca...

color, 99'

The Phantom of Liberty

(Le fantôme de la liberté, France, 1974)

Directed by: Luis Buñuel
PHOTOGRAPHY: Edmond Richard
Synopsis:

Toledo, 1808. Streljački stroj Napoleonovih okupacijskih trupa vrši egzekuciju španjolskih pobunjenika koji pred smrt izvikuju „Neka žive lanci“ i „Smrt žabarima“. Današnjica. Dadilja u parku čuva djecu kojoj čudni neznanac daje neke sličice. Djeca dolaze kući i pokazuju sličice roditeljima koji ostaju šokirani njihovim sadržajem. Oca i majku sličice erotski stimuliraju, a otkriva se da je zapravo riječ o razglednicama s prizorima francuske arh...

color, 104'

Death in the Garden

(La mort en ce jardin, France, 1956)

Directed by: Luis Buñuel
PHOTOGRAPHY: Jorge Stahl Jr.
Synopsis:

Pustolov Chark dolazi u južnoameričko selo u blizini rudnika dijamanata i rudarskog naselja. Ubrzo ga uhiti policija pod optužbom da je opljačkao banku u obližnjem gradiću. Također, policija konsificira rudnik, na što rudari reagiraju pobunom, ne želeći rudnik prepustiti državi koja je pod vojnom upravom i namjerava ga zatvoriti. Revolucionarno gibanje, međutim, biva ugušeno, a Chark, lokalni svećenik otac Lizzardi, ostarjeli rudar Castin i njegova gluhonijema kći María, te...

color, 104'

El

(Él, Mexico, 1953)

Directed by: Luis Buñuel
PHOTOGRAPHY: Gabriel Figueroa
Synopsis:

Bogati i religiozni sredovječni muškarac Francisco u crkvi ugleda mladu i privlačnu Gloriju Milaltu te postane opsjednut njome. Počne je pratiti i udvarati joj se, međutim ona ga odbija. Zaručena je za mladog Raula, a uporni ih Francisco uspije primamiti na svoju zabavu. Par odlazi nesvjestan tko je organizator partyja, a kad to sazna, Gloria je nezadovoljna, no naposljetku ipak podliježe Franciscovu šarmu i društvenom statusu. Nakon nekog vremena Francisco i Gloria su u bra...

b/w, 82'

Susana

(Mexico, 1951)

Directed by: Luis Buñuel
PHOTOGRAPHY: José Ortiz Ramos
Synopsis:

U ženskom popravnom domu mlada i atraktivna Susana bačena je u samicu zbog lošeg ponašanja, uz riječi jednog od čuvara – „zamisli, ovdje je već dvije godine, a gora je nego ikad!“. Susana u ćeliji traži Božju pomoć ugledavši križ kad je sjena pala na rešetke prozora samice – i doista, rešetke se slome i ona u olujnoj noći bježi iz popravilišta. Stiže do ranča don Guadalupea, obiteljskog čovjeka koji živi sa suprugom donom Carmen i...

b/w, 86'

El bruto

(Mexico, 1953)

Directed by: Luis Buñuel
PHOTOGRAPHY: Agustín Jiménez
Synopsis:

Osiromašenim stanarima prijeti izbacivanje iz stanova u kojima žive jer vlasnik stambene zgrade, postariji Andrés Cabrera, želi prodati zemljište na kojem je zgrada izgrađena. Stanari se pobune, a Cabrera, na nagovor mnogo mlađe supruge Palome, angažira najsnažnijeg klaoničarskog radnika, Pedra zvanog Grubijan, da se obračuna s vođama pobune. Palomu Pedro snažno privuče i oni započnu aferu. Krenuvši u obračun s vođama stanarske pobune, Pedro nehotice usmrti jednog od...

b/w, 81'

Los olvidados

(Mexico, 1950)

Directed by: Luis Buñuel
PHOTOGRAPHY: Gabriel Figueroa
Synopsis:

Siromašno predgrađe Ciudad de Mexica. Maloljetni Jaibo, bjegunac iz popravnog doma, ponovo okuplja svoju tinejdžersku bandu i prva 'akcija' koju izvedu jest napad na slijepog uličnog muzičara kojeg pretuku i razbiju mu instrument. Jaibo vapi za osvetom onom zbog čije izdaje je završio u popravilištu, a to je navodno dječak Julián. Uz pomoć Pedra, člana svoje bande, Jaibo uđe u trag Juliánu, ubije ga i opljačka, a novac podijeli s Pedrom. Pedra potom uhi...

b/w, 80'

Nazarin

(Mexico, 1959)

Directed by: Luis Buñuel
PHOTOGRAPHY: Gabriel Figueroa
Synopsis:

Početkom 20. stoljeća u Meksiku, svećenik Nazario živi među siromašnima i brine se o njima. Crkvene vlasti kažnjavaju ga jer je zaštitio prostitutku Andaru optuženu za umorstvo druge bludnice, te on kreće na lutanje Meksikom. Uz Andaru, prate ga Beatriz, koju je odgovorio od samoubojstva nakon što ju je odbacio ljubavnik Pinto, i patuljak Ujo. Nazario želi dosljedno živjeti Kristov nauk i potpuno se ugleda u nj, međutim okolina ga zbog toga izruguje… Nazarín j...

b/w, 94'

The Criminal Life of Archibaldo de la Cruz

(Ensayo d'un crimen, Mexico, 1955)

Directed by: Luis Buñuel
PHOTOGRAPHY: Agustín Jiménez
Synopsis:

Bogati i ugledni Archibaldo de la Cruz kao dječak svjedočio je smrti svoje dadilje za vrijeme Meksičke revolucije, upravo u vrijeme kad mu je pričala priču o muzičkoj kutiji koju mu je netom bila poklonila majka. Mali Archibaldo krivo je shvatio da je skrivio dadiljinu smrt koristeći muzičku kutiju, i od tada žudi da ponovo 'ubije'. Kao odrastao muškarac, priča tu priču časnoj sestri i prijeti da će je ubiti britvom, no časna uspije pobjeći samo da bi pala u prazan otvor lifta i p...

b/w, 89'
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