Gabriel Beristain

Beristain was born in Mexico City, the son of actor Luis Beristáin.[5] His interest in filmmaking began with his involvement in Mexico's independent film scene in the seventies.[6] He studied Engineering at the Instituto Politécnico Nacional, and later joined a new film studies program at the school, while also producing audiovisual training materials for the health department.

After filming a number of documentaries, he founded a small commercial production company, before moving to Italy in 1977. At the recommendation of director Sergio Leone, he relocated to the United Kingdom, where he enrolled in the prestigious National Film and Television School, which accepted only 25 students a year.[7] He was one of only five foreigners to be accepted into the school, and studied cinematography under Oswald Morris and Billy Williams.[8]

His first feature film as cinematographer was the 1983 Colombian horror film Bloody Flesh (Spanish: Carne de tu carne, "Flesh of Your Flesh"), for which he won the Best Cinematography Award at the Bogotá Film Festival. His work on Derek Jarman's 1986 film Caravaggio earned him a Special Silver Bear Award at the Berlin International Film Festival.[9] Beristain was one of several cinematographers on the 1987 anthology film Aria, which was nominated for a Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.[10] Allen Daviau suggested he move to Hollywood, where he could apply his talents and unique insight into both Mexican and Anglo cultures.[11] Beristain has been a member of the British Society of Cinematographers since 1990, and the American Society of Cinematographers since 2002.

Gregg Toland, Freddie Young, Emmanuel Lubezki, Roger Deakins[12]

• 1984 Bogotá Film Festival Award for Best Cinematography: Bloody Flesh (Won)
• 1987 Special Silver Bear Award: Caravaggio (Won)
• 1994 VMA Award for Best Cinematography: "Amazing" (Nominated)
• 1999 Silver Ariel Award for Best Cinematography: The Comet (Nominated)

• Gabriel Beristain on IMDb