Néstor Almendros
Camera

Néstor Almendros

Born 30 October 1930 · Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain · Died 4 March 1992

Néstor Almendros Cuyás (30 October 1930 – 4 March 1992) was a Spanish cinematographer. One of the most highly appraised contemporary cinematographers, "Almendros was an artist of deep integrity, who believed the most beautiful light was natural light...he will always be remembered as a cinematographer of absolute truth...a true master of light". Néstor Almendros Cuyás was born in Barcelona, Spain, but at 18 moved to Cuba to join his exiled anti-Francisco Franco father. In Havana, he wrote film reviews. Then he went on to study in Rome at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia. He directed six shorts in Cuba and two in New York City. After the 1959 Cuban Revolution, he returned and made several documentaries for the Castro regime. But after two of his shorts (Gente en la playa and La tumba francesa) were banned, he moved to Paris. Starting in 1964, he became the favorite collaborator of French New Wave director Éric Rohmer. In the early seventies he also started working with François Truffaut, Barbet Schroeder and other directors.

Known for

Kramer vs. Kramer
The Blue Lagoon
Days of Heaven
Sophie's Choice
The Last Metro
New York Stories
My Night at Maud's
Bed and Board
The Wild Child
Claire's Knee
La Collectionneuse
Pauline at the Beach
Billy Bathgate
Made in Milan
New York Stories
Nadine
Heartburn
Improper Conduct
Places in the Heart
Confidentially Yours
Pauline at the Beach
Sophie's Choice
Still of the Night
The Last Metro
The Blue Lagoon
Love on the Run
Kramer vs. Kramer
Le Beau Mec
The Green Room
Days of Heaven
Perceval
Koko: A Talking Gorilla
Goin' South
The Man Who Loved Women
Madame Rosa
Change of Sex
Entire Days in the Trees
Maîtresse
The Marquise of O
The Story of Adèle H.
My Little Loves
Cockfighter
The Mouth Agape
General Idi Amin Dada
Love in the Afternoon
The Valley
Two English Girls
Pork with Sweet Potatoes
Sing Sing
Make-up
Bed and Board
The Wild Child
Claire's Knee
My Night at Maud's
More
The Gun Runner
A Farmer in Montfaucon
The Wild Racers
La Collectionneuse
A Modern Coed
Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Place de l'Étoile
Six in Paris
Nadja in Paris
People at the Beach
El Tomate
A Daily Mix-up
Néstor Almendros · Midrow