Included in the retrospective are the thirty-two films that Buñuel made, including the 1937 documentary he filmed in Spain on the Civil War, a selection of silent films, the edit he made at MoMA of a Nazi propaganda film, and an alternative "happy" ending to Los Olvidados, as well as a casual documentary about Buñuel and martinis.
The Spanish-born Luis Buñuel (1900-83) moved to Paris and collaborated with
Salvador Dali on the Surrealist film Un Chien andalou. After making L'Âge d'or and
the documentary Land without Bread, Buñuel worked as a film producer in the newly
founded Republic of Spain, but when Franco took power in 1939, Buñuel chose exile.
On the basis of the three films he had directed, Buñuel then became "chief editor" of
MoMA's Film Library. He did not remain long in the post, however, and his subsequent
stay in Hollywood was also brief.
Buñuel lived in Mexico City from 1946 to 1960, attracting critical attention for films like
Los Olvidados (1951), The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe (1952, in English), and
Nazarin (1958). He was invited to return to his native land to create the controversial
Viridiana (1961), which, as Spain's official entry to the Cannes festival, won the top
prize and was promptly banned in Spain. From this point, Buñuel divided his time
between France and Mexico, completing such masterpieces as Exterminating Angel
(1962), Belle de Jour (1966), Tristana (1970), The Discreet Charm of the
Bourgeoisie (1972), and That Obscure Object of Desire (1977).
Included in the retrospective are the thirty-two films that Buñuel made, including the
1937 documentary he filmed in Spain on the Civil War, a selection of silent films, the
edit he made at MoMA of a Nazi propaganda film, and an alternative "happy" ending to
Los Olvidados, as well as a casual documentary about Buñuel and martinis.
The opening of the series will be celebrated with a talk by Buñuel's longtime friend, the
author Carlos Fuentes. In December, the Museum will sponsor a symposium on Buñuel
and his work.
Luis Buñuel is organized by Laurence Kardish, Senior Curator, Department of Film
and Video, and is being presented with the support of the Instituto Cervantes, New
York, the Mexican Cultural Institute, New York, and the Cultural Services of the
French Embassy, New York.
MoMa - 11 West 53 Street - New York - tel. 2127089400