Series Site
"For fans of 21st century Mexican cinema, Lázaro Gabino Rodríguez (or Gabino, as he was colloquially known throughout most of his career) holds a special and unique place. His credits as a leading man may make for a short list heavy on Nicolás Pereda films, but he has also been there at the margins of the frame in some of this century’s most important Mexican films, stealing scenes as a supporting player with his distinct physical presence. In his work with Pereda he is something else, a brusque and enigmatic face grounding Pereda’s bewildering structural experiments with a quiver of the lip or tilt of the head that lends an ordinary immediacy to what is otherwise a typical atmosphere of ambiguity. In addition to those films, this retrospective also encompasses work Lázaro Gabino Rodríguez did with international filmmakers working in Mexico. Showcasing different sides of his screen persona – LA ULTIMA PELICULA a demonstrates a distinct, improv-heavy casualness, while LUCIFER takes the gestural elements of his art to the extreme, bringing him closer to the subject of a Flemish painting – these two films capture something of his range and ability.
"Beyond his acting work Lázaro is also a writer and director in his own right. Besides co-directing the film MY SKIN LUMINOUS, which plays in this series alongside FAUNA, his theater company, Lagartijas Tiradas al Sol, has presented work all over the world and his book on acting has been translated into four languages so far. We are proud to present a new translation of this book into English as part of this retrospective. It will be on sale in the box office for $2.00 and given for free to anyone who attends the post-screening Q&A following FAUNA and MY SKIN, LUMINOUS on July 23rd.
"There will be a special zine by Lázaro Gabino Rodríguez on sale during the series featuring his aphoristic writing on acting. It will be available in the booth for $2.00 and distributed for free during the Q&A on July 23rd.
Co-presented with Cinema Tropical. Special thanks to Lucrecia Arcos."