Making his directorial debut, four-time Oscar-nominated cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto (Killers of the Flower Moon, Brokeback Mountain), who has helmed the cinematography for Martin Scorsese’s last four films, presents Pedro Páramo, an adaptation of the groundbreaking 1955 novel by Mexican author Juan Rulfo.
Pedro Páramo had its world premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival as a part of the Platform section. The film stars Manuel García-Rulfo, Tenoch Huerta, Dolores Heredia, Ilse Salas, Héctor Kotsifakis, and Mayra Batalla.
Release Date
Directed by Rodrigo Prieto, Pedro Páramo streams on Netflix on November 6, 2024.
Synopsis
Unfolding in a seemingly abandoned Mexican town where past and present beguilingly coexist, the feature directorial debut of legendary cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto is a mesmerizing story of desire, corruption, and inheritance based on Juan Rulfo’s masterpiece novel, considered one of the most important books in the history of Mexico and Latin America.
“Like many Mexicans, I first read Juan Rulfo’s novel, Pedro Páramo in high school. It drew me in with its portrayal of a blurred line between the living and the dead, as well as the nonchalance with which people accept the supernatural in rural Mexico,” says director Rodrigo Prieto in his director’s statement. “I hope this film will not only be seen as a reflection of the richness of Mexican culture but also as a universal story of the shared human experience of searching for our identity. After all, we all have our own personal Comala.”
Reviews
Christian Zilko in an IndieWire review gave the film a score of C+, writing, “Even when the storytelling falls short, “Pedro Páramo” never fails to offer up ideas worth pondering. The theme of forgiveness unsurprisingly looms heavily over the film, which oozes Catholicism from every frame.”
Steve Pond in a TheWrap review wrote, “As “Pedro Páramo” veers all over the place, uniting the good and the evil in a strange dance of life and death, there’s not much to do except relax and immerse yourself in Prieto’s curious vision.”
Official Trailer
Watch the official trailer for Pedro Páramo.