10 · 10 · 07

Diego López and Gabriel Figueroa. JR. present Diego Rivera’s work which has not been shown before.

Doris Morales/Translated by Vicente Castañar

[imagen]In order to commemorate 50 years of Diego Rivera’s artistic work, Gabriel Figueroa invited Manuel Álvarez Bravo, who was a fixed camera photographer in many films, to work as a cameraman in a short feature film. This film was never finished; one can see this unfinished work in Un retrato de Diego. La revolución de la mirada documentary, produced and directed by Gabriel Figueroa Flores and Diego López.

This short film created by the three art masters (Rivera, Álvarez and Figueroa), was filmed in very simple conditions between 1949 and 1950. This film records Diego Rivera’s painting methods: first he would watch common daily life, like the market vendors, and he would draw them in his sketch book, and these sketches will later become his great paintings; he would also go to Xochimilco and he would marvel at the sight of the flower selling ladies, specially the ones who sell alcatraces, like his world known “Flower Vendor.” He would also watch and portray the women from Istmo de Tehuantepec (Isthmus ladies) walking or bathing at the sea. Rivera’s work reflect the forgotten and unprotected Mexico, topic that also interested Manuel Álvarez Bravo and Gabriel Figueroa.

This documentary includes an interview with Guadalupe Rivera, Diego Rivera’s daughter; Aurelia Álvarez, Manuel Álvarez Bravo’s daughter; José Luis Cuevas, artist; Carlos Monsiváis and Alfonso Morales, writers.

Diego López, Diego Rivera’s grand son, was co-director, co-producer and co-scriptwriter to this documentary. Lopez had a conference with the media about this documentary.

[imagen]The findings
”After Gabriel Figueroa died, his wife gave his son, Gabriel Figueroa Flores, a box full of his dad’s filming material. Young Gabriel looked through the box and found the small and well preserved tins, which he transferred to video. It was a great finding; it was also a privilege to work with this great invaluable historic material. We decided to leave it as it was, we didn’t tamper with it at all.”

 

Finding a narrative thread
”Later on we searched for the right narrative thread that would go with the main topics of the film segments. This was our back bone, from which we developed the project; we soon discovered that the three artists’ influence was fundamental to the context. Then we also decided to incorporate ourselves to this narrative because we thought the material lacked warmness, even though it was extremely beautiful. We wanted to be present in this work, because we are the son and the grand son of these artists; after all we are retaking this project after 50 years.”

Remembering the master muralist painter after 50 years
Cristina Prado, spokesperson for Instituto Mexicano de Cinematografía, said that on November 26th, during Diego Rivera’s 50 years commemoration, the film Un retrato de Diego. La revolución de la mirada, will be presented. This premiere will be at Museo Nacional de Arte (Munal) where an exhibition called Diego gráfico e intergráfico will be taking place.

The film will also run at the theaters on November 30^th. Also a book by Carlos Monsivais and Eduardo de la vega, among other writers will come out; this book is supported by FONCA, Imcine and Munal.

Un retrato de Diego. La revolución de la mirada, will be distributed in Mexico by Alfhaville Cinema and abroad by