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.
Seven young aspiring models move to Milan after being discovered by a model scout. The glamorous dream vanishes upon impact with the fashion capital's harsh reality.
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In the city of Prato, a thousand-year history of textile artisanship clashes with Chinese pronto moda bearing the coveted “Made in Italy” label. A volatile set for two young lovers - one Italian, one Chinese – must overcome racism, stereotyping, expectations and fears. Just within their own families.
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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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TINA is a six-hour historical drama series chronicling the extraordinary life and times of Tina Modotti. Actor, Model, Hollywood femme fatale, photographer, activist, revolutionary. Her many transformations put her in front and center in the most important artistic, political and historical moments of the 20th century.
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