Gabriel Beristain

Gabriel Beristain was born in Mexico into a theatrical dynasty.

He worked as documentary cameraman throughout Europe, covering sensitive political, social, and ecological issues. At the NFTS in England, he shot Jenny Wilkes’ Academy Award Winner for Best Foreign Student Film, “Mother’s Wedding.”

Having settled in England, The Berlin Film Festival honored him in 1987 with a Special Silver Bear ‘for outstanding single achievement’ in cinematography and Visual Style for Derek Jarman’s “Caravaggio”.

In the US we worked in cult classics like ‘Blood In, Blood Out’ and ‘Dolores Claiborne’. DoP credits amount to over 50 motion pictures and a hundred commercials and music videos, including the classic Aerosmith videos. He re-energized the filmography of David Mamet (The Spanish Prisoner) and Guillermo Del Toro (Blade 2), and broke new ground in films like ‘S.W.A.T’, ‘The Ring 2’ and ‘Blade Trinity’. He Helped to launch the successful career of David Ayer with “Street Kings’

He shot substantial additional photography for the 3 installments of Iron Man and Thor 2, and the successful “Guardians of the Galaxy” and most recently a lengthy additional photography for WB/DC “Suicide Squad”,

On Television, he shot the pilot for “Hawaii 5-0 “and 2 seasons of “MAGIC CITY” The beautiful STARZ series with its celebrated visual style. He shot 4 episodes for the series “Strain” produced by Del Toro and the First Season of the acclaimed Marvel’s own TV show “Agent Carter”. And most the CBS remake of the classic “MacGyver” where he has got his debut as a TV director with episode 207.

As a producer-director he’s developing several projects, including “The House of Abraham Phillips” (www.lanfilmproject) to be shot in Wales; “El Imperio de la Habana” based on the book “La Vida Intima de Meyer Lansky” by Cuban author Enrique Cirules to be shot entirely in Cuba and “Tina” based on the life of Tina Modotti currently in development.

He is cutting his teeth as a full fleshed producer with Havana Kyrie, by Paolo Consorti with the iconic actor Franco Nero. Shot in Italy and Cuba.

Gabriel is a member of AMPAS, since 1997 and member of BSC, ASC, and DGA.

Demo Reel

Blade II - Trailer
The Ring 2 - Trailer
Black Widow - Final Trailer
Caravaggio
Hawaii Five-0's - Ho'okahi no la o ka malihini
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy - Trailer 1
McGyver in Cuba - Behind the Scenes
Black Widow Trailer

Projects involving Gabriel Beristain

Havana Kyrie

An aging, down-on-his-luck Italian conductor reluctantly travels back to Havana, Cuba, to oversee performances of compositions in which he specializes. His concerns seem well-founded when his trip starts off on the wrong foot and he is quickly met by the son he never knew he fathered years ago, but his past eventually adds new purpose and meaning to his present. This is a heart-warming, nostalgic tale of a quirky old man rediscovering the “spice of life” once again.

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Empire of Havana

In 1950s Havana, a young Cuban street thug and a fiery university student get pulled into the orbit of Mob financier Meyer Lansky as he attempts to carve out an empire of gambling drugs and prostitution as the winds of revolution gather around them...  

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Tripping With Zorba

New York City in the early 70's. Pimps, hookers and drug dealers ruled the streets. No person alive in the Big Apple felt it more than actor Anthony Quinn. The dirt-poor immigrant who rose against insurmountable odds to become one of Hollywood's top leading men and an international superstar. 

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The Untouchable

The Untouchable is a true story about the incredible life of a man who reinvented the sport of boxing with his unique style and showmanship in the ring.

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The Foam of Days

Four lifelong friends, their friendship stressed to breaking point endures by tragedy...

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Fidel Up Close

There is probably no other protagonist of the 20th century who has been as much talked about and as studied as Fidel Castro. Fidel Up Close is a meticulously crafted documentary film said to be "the definitive documentary on Fidel Castro' by the few who've seen it in preview.

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Jade

Set in a world of smuggling ancient artifacts, JADE is a wild ride adventure full of crosses and double-crosses, that keeps everyone guessing until the end.

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E.L.I.

Twenty-six actresses, Twenty-six animals. Their body, eyes, voice, breath, instincts, and emotions portray the chosen animal by applying the “Animal Work" acting technique. 

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Tina

TINA is a six-hour historical drama series chronicling the extraordinary life and times of Tina Modotti. Actor, Hollywood femme fatale, model, photographer, activist, and revolutionary  Tina is the ultimate hyphenate. Her many transformations put her front and center in some the most important artistic, political, and historical moments of the 20th century.

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Brooklyn Story

The spirited story about a girl’s lost innocence and dreams found just the other side of the Brooklyn Bridge . . . an affectionate, true-to-life tale of growing up, breaking away, and dreaming big.

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To Have Not

To Have Not is set during Ernest Hemingway’s controversial last years of life. What could have driven the world renowned writer to take his own life, when his fame and reputation should only have been a cause for celebration?

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King Coal

Love. Hate. Forgiveness. In a brutal world, none of us can survive alone.

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Our Mary in Havana

Mary McCarthy fell in love with the people of Cuba. Hers is a story that bears witness to the complicated history of a country and the unchanging spirit of a dedicated soul who failed in the literal sense, but succeeded metaphorically in her goal of outliving Castro. A 'riches to rags' story of an interloper who becomes the denizen.

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UNQUIET

The hosts of a paranormal reality show on the verge of cancellation find that for the first time they don’t have to fake it as they face an entity with surprising motives in a seemingly ordinary suburban house.

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The Caddy - The Feature

When an ambitious diplomat loses his position and is reduced to caddy at a golf resort, he kidnaps an arrogant businessman in a misguided attempt to buy his old life back...

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The Hunt For Shadowboy

The last survivor of a German U-Boat that disappeared during WWII is in Cuba. A group of mercenaries will try to capture the old spy.

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Depths

In a future patriarchal society living undersea, the sailors of the only submarine crewed by women strive to avoid life as sex slaves for forced reproduction.

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The Last Contract

A Cuban ballerina enters the world of prostitution after a traumatic rape. Her revenge depends on an alliance with a professional assassin.

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El Vuelo de tu Sueño

AMETSAREN HEGALDIA, es una película del género Sport/Drama. El hijo de una familia gipuzkoana, desarrolla su niñez y juventud en una constante contradicción entre su ilusión y pasión de desarrollarse como un deportista nato en el ámbito de la Real Sociedad y su realidad emocional desequilibrada por la situación familiar. Pero una simbiosis mágica del hijo con el águila real que subyace en el equipo, precipita el logro de su sueño más querido.

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The Caddy Short

An out of work young Mexican diplomat kidnaps an arrogant American businessman, unprepared for the battle of wills that ensues.

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