The Other Mexican Directors

1. Arturo Ripstein

Director | Principio y fin

Arturo Ripstein began his career as assistant director (unbilled) of Luis Buñuel in Ángel exterminador, El (1962). His father, Alfredo Ripstein, Jr. produced his first film, a western written by Gabriel García Márquez titled Tiempo de morir (1965). Ripstein filmography is very praised in Mexico and...

2. Alfonso Arau

Director | Como agua para chocolate

Alfonso Arau has had a long and fruitful career both in front of and behind the camera and is one of the most prominent filmmakers of the Latino community in Hollywood. He was a drama disciple of Seki Sano--a Japanese teacher, classmate of Lee Strasberg with Konstantin Stanislavski in Russia--and ...

3. Patricia Riggen

Director | The 33

Patricia Riggen was born on June 2, 1970 in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. She is a director and producer, known for The 33 (2015), La milpa (2002) and La misma luna (2007). She is married to Checco Varese. They have one child.

4. Amat Escalante

Director | Heli

Amat Escalante was born on February 28, 1979 in Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain as Amat Escalante Wool. He is a director and writer, known for Heli (2013), La región salvaje (2016) and Los bastardos (2008).

5. Luis Mandoki

Director | Voces inocentes

Luis Mandoki was born in 1954 in Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico. He is a director and producer, known for Voces inocentes (2004), La vida precoz y breve de Sabina Rivas (2012) and Message in a Bottle (1999).

6. Alonso Ruizpalacios

Writer | Güeros

Alonso Ruizpalacios was born in 1978 in Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico. He is a writer and director, known for Güeros (2014), Museo (2018) and Verde (2016).

7. Ernesto Contreras

Director | Párpados azules

Filmmaker. Born in the port of Veracruz, México. Former President of the Mexican Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences (2017-2019). Graduate of the Center for Studies in Communication Sciences and the University Center for Cinematographic Studies (CUEC-UNAM).

In 2007, his first feature Blue ...

8. Michel Franco

Producer | Chronic

Michel Franco was born in 1979 in Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico. He is a producer and writer, known for Chronic (2015), Después de Lucía (2012) and Las hijas de Abril (2017).

9. Carlos Carrera

Director | De la infancia

With only three feature films, Carlos Carrera is considered one of the best young directors of the new Mexican cinema. He began as an animator at 12 years old and wrote, produced and directed a number of animated-shorts before filming his first live-action movie, a docummentary short titled ...

10. Jaime Humberto Hermosillo

Director | La tarea

Hermosillo is one of the most successful Mexican directors of the last twenty years. Born in Aguascalientes, a small city in central Mexico, Hermosillo's films have dissected the hypocrisy of Mexican middle class and "torn the curtain" behind which many perversities are hidden. He has become an ...

11. Jorge Michel Grau

Director | Somos lo que hay

Jorge Michel Grau obtains a B.A. in Communication from the National Autonomous University of Mexico from 1994-1998 and then graduates with honors in Film Direction from the Centro de Capacitacion Cinematografica (CCC); in his professional career he has started as a producer of documentaries and ...

12. Felipe Cazals

Director | El año de la peste

Felipe Cazals was born on July 28, 1937 in Guéthary, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France as Felipe Cazals Siena. He is a director and writer, known for El año de la peste (1979), Las vueltas del citrillo (2005) and Canoa (1976).

13. Jorge Fons

Director | El Callejón de los Milagros

Fons studied film production in the Universitary Center of Film Studies at National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), belonging to the very first generation of Mexican directors who studied to become filmmakers. His short film Caridad (1973) -part of the trilogy Fe Esperanza y Caridad (1973)-...

14. Fernando Eimbcke

Director | Temporada de patos

Fernando Eimbcke was born in 1970 in Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico. He is a director and writer, known for Temporada de patos (2004), Lake Tahoe (2008) and Club sándwich (2013).

15. Mario Van Peebles

Actor | Heartbreak Ridge

Mario Van Peebles is a highly regarded director, actor, producer and writer. His directorial skills can be seen in the retelling of the epic mini-series "Roots" starring Forest Whitaker and Matthew Goode. Van Pebbles has directed award-winning shows such as the recent hit "Empire" and "The Last ...

16. María Novaro

Director | Las buenas hierbas

The most successful woman director of Mexican cinema studied Sociology at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and Film Production at the University Center of Film Studies (CUEC) in Mexico City. She began her career as assistant director of Alberto Cortés in Amor a la vuelta de la ...

17. Luis Estrada

Writer | El infierno

Luis Estrada was born on January 17, 1962 in Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico. He is a writer and director, known for El infierno (2010), La ley de Herodes (1999) and Un mundo maravilloso (2006).

18. José Luis García Agraz

Director | Desiertos mares

José Luis García Agraz is a director and writer, known for Desiertos mares (1995), El misterio del Trinidad (2003) and Nocaut (1984).

19. Gabriel Retes

Actor | Bienvenido-Welcome

Son of stage actor-director Ignacio Retes and actress Lucila Balzaretti, Gabriel Retes began acting classical theater when he was twelve years old. In early 70s he began directing short films in S8mm. and developed an extensive filmography in that format. His feature film debut, a shocking film ...

20. Carlos Bolado

Director | Bajo California: El límite del tiempo

Carlos Bolado was born on February 6, 1964 in Veracruz, Veracruz, Mexico as Carlos Bolado Muñoz. He is a director and editor, known for Bajo California: El límite del tiempo (1998), Promises (2001) and Sólo Dios sabe (2006).

21. Alberto Cortés

Director | Corazón del tiempo

Alberto Cortés is a director and editor, known for Corazón del tiempo (2008), Amor a la vuelta de la esquina (1986) and Maize in Time of War (2018).

22. Carlos Reygadas

Producer | Stellet Licht

Carlos Reygadas was born on October 10, 1971 in Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico as Carlos Reygadas Castillo. He is married to Natalia López.

23. Juan Antonio de la Riva

Director | Vidas errantes

Juan Antonio de la Riva was born on December 21, 1953 in San Miguel de Cruces, Durango, Mexico. He is a director and writer, known for Vidas errantes (1985), Elisa antes del fin del mundo (1997) and El gavilán de la sierra (2002).

24. Carlos Cuarón

Writer | Y tu mamá también

Carlos Cuarón was born on October 2, 1966 in Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico as Carlos José Cuarón Orozco. He is a writer and director, known for Y tu mamá también (2001), Rudo y Cursi (2008) and Besos de Azúcar (2013).

25. Marisa Sistach

Director | Nadie te oye: Perfume de violetas

Sistach belongs to the prolific generation of Mexican women directors graduated from the Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica (CCC) in the 80s. She was awarded with the Ariel (Mexican Academy Award) for her live action short titled ¿Y si Platicamos de Agosto? (1980). Sistach has developed an ...

26. Rigoberto Castañeda

Director | KM 31: Kilómetro 31

Rigoberto Castañeda was born in Mexico City, studied in the Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica (Mexico City's film school). Helmer of several school short films, standing out "Necrophilia" and "Sin Sentido", making a worldwide recognition at film festivals. His dream has always been to make ...

27. Ignacio Ortiz

Writer | Mezcal

Ignacio Ortiz was born as Ignacio Ortiz Cruz. He is a writer and director, known for Mezcal (2006), Cuentos de hadas para dormir cocodrilos (2002) and El mar muerto (2010).

28. Julián Hernández

Writer | Mil nubes de paz cercan el cielo, amor, jamás acabarás de ser amor

Julián Hernández was born as Hernandez Perez Julian. He is a writer and director, known for Mil nubes de paz cercan el cielo, amor, jamás acabarás de ser amor (2003), El cielo dividido (2006) and Hubo un tiempo en que los sueños dieron paso a largas noches de insomnio... (2000).

29. Gerardo Naranjo

Director | Miss Bala

Gerardo Naranjo is a director and writer, known for Miss Bala (2011), Voy a explotar (2008) and The Last Attack of the Beast (2002).

30. Jorge Ramírez Suárez

Director | Guten Tag, Ramón

Jorge Ramírez Suárez is a director and writer, known for Guten Tag, Ramón (2013), Conejo en la luna (2004) and Los inadaptados (2011).

31. Julio Hernández Cordón

Director | Cómprame un revolver

Julio Hernández Cordón is a director and writer, known for Cómprame un revolver (2018), Te prometo anarquía (2015) and Gasolina (2008).

32. Pitipol Ybarra

Director | A la mala

33. Tatiana Huezo

Director | Tempestad

Tatiana Huezo is a cinematographer and director, known for Tempestad (2016), El lugar más pequeño (2011) and Ausencias (2015).

34. Rodrigo Plá

Director | Desierto adentro

Rodrigo Plá was born on June 9, 1968 in Montevideo, Uruguay. He is an assistant director and director, known for Desierto adentro (2008), La zona (2007) and Un monstruo de mil cabezas (2015).

35. Manolo Caro

Writer | La casa de las flores

Manolo Caro is the Creator, Executive Producer and Director of The House Of Flowers - Netflix's original series. Director, producer and script writer of Mexican film and theater. He studied the career of architecture in TEC de Monterrey and Centro in Mexico City, then after, he formed the career of...