Carlos Reygadas

10.10.1971, Mexico, Mexico

 

Director
Producer, director, screenwriter and editor, by full name Carlos Reygadas Castillo. He became interested in film as a teenager, watching films of Andrei Tarkovsky. He attended college in England, then studied law in Mexico. After graduation he moved to London and worked for the UN. He directed his first, short films Maxhumain and Prisioneros in 1999. His first feature-length film Japan (Japón, 2002, in Spanish production) drew attention of international critics, but it was censored in Great Britain due to scenes of real cruelty towards animals. His film Battle in Heaven (Batalla en el cielo, 2005) brought him even more attention, causing much controversy with its explicit sex scenes. His drama Silent Light (Stellet Licht, 2007) deals with the inner struggle of the members of the Mennonite Church. The film won awards at numerous international film festivals, including Grand Jury Prize in Cannes in 2007 (shared with Persepolis by Vincent Paronnaud and Marjane Satrapi) and the Motovun Propeller in 2008. He also filmed part of the medium-length omnibus 42 One Dream Rush (2009), the work of some forty directors on the subject of dreams, and part of omnibus by Mexican directors Revolución (2010). His latest film is a semi-autobiographical drama Post Tenebras Lux (2012) which brought him best director award in Cannes.

Filmography


Films by this director

Japan

(Japón, 2002)

Directed by: Carlos Reygadas
PHOTOGRAPHY: Diego Martínez Vignatti, Thierry Tronchet
Synopsis:

Experiencing an existential crisis, an unidentified middle-aged man is travelling the Mexican countryside in a seemingly final journey. Unmotivated and tired of life, he is planning to commit suicide, but he wants to do it in a canyon. To prepare for death, he finds temporary accommodation with an older widow, an Indian Ascen. Nature around him, and getting to know the quiet, but benevolent and humane Ascen restore his lust for life.

color, digital, 130 min
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