# Rodrigo Prieto

Rodrigo Prieto Stambaugh, ASC, AMC (born November 23, 1965), is a Mexican cinematographer and film director.
He has collaborated with Martin Scorsese and Alejandro González Iñárritu, among other prominent directors. He is a member of both the Mexican Society of Cinematographers and the American Society of Cinematographers. Throughout his career, Prieto has received many awards and nominations, including four Academy Award nominations for Best Cinematography in Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain (2005) and Martin Scorsese's Silence (2016), The Irishman (2019), and Killers of the Flower Moon (2023).

## Early life and education

Rodrigo Prieto was born in Mexico City, Mexico. His grandfather, Jorge Prieto Laurens, was the mayor of Mexico City and leader of the Chamber of Deputies of Mexico, but was later persecuted by the country's ruler because of political differences. Prieto's grandfather escaped with his family to Texas and then to Los Angeles, where Prieto's father would spend most of his childhood. Prieto's father studied aeronautical engineering at New York University, where he met and married Prieto's mother, an artist. Rodrigo Prieto graduated from Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica in Mexico City.

## Career

Prieto is noted for his unconventional use of the camera often combined with strong moody lighting. In 25th Hour, Prieto utilized overexposure and other techniques to create original dream-like images to signify that the events shown on screen are memories or visions. Similarly innovative photography could be spotted in Frida, featuring strong colors and sharp imagery blended with atmospheric yellows and browns, as well as his experimental use of infrared during a battle scene in Alexander. Prieto also is interested in evoking naturalism, most evident in The Homesman and Brokeback Mountain. Prieto not only shot Brokeback Mountain, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography, but appeared in a cameo role within the film as a Mexican gigolo whom Jake Gyllenhaal's character, Jack Twist, meets.
Prieto has formed an artistic collaboration with Martin Scorsese on his films The Wolf of Wall Street, Silence, The Irishman, and Killers of the Flower Moon. He garnered Academy Award nominations for Best Cinematography for the latter three. He served as cinematographer for the music videos for the three Taylor Swift 2020 singles, "The Man", which references one of his previous films The Wolf of Wall Street, "Cardigan" and "Willow".
Prieto is the recipient of the 2021 Vilcek Prize in Filmmaking, awarded by the Vilcek Foundation.
In October 2023, Prieto served as a juror at the Morelia International Film Festival in Michoacán, Mexico.

## Personal life

Prieto resides in Los Angeles, California with his wife Monica and they have two daughters.

## Filmography
### Feature film

| Year | Title | Director | Notes |
| 1991 | El jugador | Joaquín Bissner | |
| 1991 | Ratas nocturnas | Jon Michael Bishof | |
| 1993 | Dama de noche | Eva López Sánchez | |
| 1993 | El asesino del zodiaco | Christian González | |
| 1994 | Perfume, efecto inmediato | Alejandro Gamboa | |
| 1996 | All of Them Witches | Daniel Gruener | |
| 1996 | Oedipus Mayor | Jorge Alí Triana | |
| 1998 | Fibra Óptica | Francisco Athié | |
| 1998 | Un embrujo | Carlos Carrera | |
| 2000 | Amores perros | Alejandro González Iñárritu | |
| 2000 | Ricky 6 | Peter Filardi | |
| 2001 | Original Sin | Michael Cristofer | |
| 2002 | Ten Tiny Love Stories | Rodrigo García | |
| 2002 | Frida | Julie Taymor | |
| 2002 | 8 Mile | Curtis Hanson | |
| 2002 | 25th Hour | Spike Lee | |
| 2003 | 21 Grams | Alejandro González Iñárritu | |
| 2004 | Alexander | Oliver Stone | |
| 2005 | Brokeback Mountain | Ang Lee | |
| 2006 | Babel | Alejandro González Iñárritu | |
| 2007 | Lust, Caution | Ang Lee | |
| 2009 | Broken Embraces | Pedro Almodóvar | |
| 2009 | State of Play | Kevin Macdonald | |
| 2010 | Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps | Oliver Stone | |
| 2010 | Biutiful | Alejandro González Iñárritu | |
| 2011 | Water for Elephants | Francis Lawrence | |
| 2011 | We Bought a Zoo | Cameron Crowe | |
| 2012 | Argo | Ben Affleck | |
| 2013 | A Study in Gravity | Michael Haussman | |
| 2013 | The Wolf of Wall Street | Martin Scorsese | |
| 2014 | The Homesman | Tommy Lee Jones | |
| 2016 | Silence | Martin Scorsese | |
| 2016 | Passengers | Morten Tyldum | |
| 2019 | The Irishman | Martin Scorsese | |
| 2020 | The Glorias | Julie Taymor | |
| 2023 | Killers of the Flower Moon | Martin Scorsese | |
| 2023 | Barbie | Greta Gerwig | |
| 2024 | Pedro Páramo | Himself | With Nico Aguilar |

### Television

Documentary series
| Year | Title | Director | Notes |
| 2003–2004 | America Undercover | Oliver Stone | Segments Persona Non Grata and Looking for Fidel |
| 2017 | The Putin Interviews | Oliver Stone | Miniseries |
* ↑ Shared credit with Serguei Saldívar Tanaka
* ↑ Shared credit with Carlos Marcovich
* ↑ Shared credit with Anthony Dod Mantle
TV series
| Year | Title | Director | Notes |
| 2015 | What Lives Inside | Robert Stromberg | 1 episode |
| 2016 | Vinyl | Martin Scorsese | Episode "Pilot" |

### Music video

| Year | Title | Artist | Director |
| 2012 | "Blue Jeans" | Lana Del Rey | Yoann Lemoine |
| 2020 | "The Man" | Taylor Swift | Taylor Swift |
| 2020 | "Cardigan" | Taylor Swift | Taylor Swift |
| 2020 | "Willow" | Taylor Swift | Taylor Swift |
| 2024 | "Fortnight" (featuring Post Malone) | Taylor Swift | Taylor Swift |

## Awards and nominations

Academy Awards
| Year | Title | Category | Result |
| 2006 | Brokeback Mountain | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
| 2017 | Silence | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
| 2020 | The Irishman | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
| 2024 | Killers of the Flower Moon | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
BAFTA Awards
| Year | Title | Category | Result |
| 2006 | Brokeback Mountain | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
| 2007 | Babel | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
| 2020 | The Irishman | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
| 2024 | Killers of the Flower Moon | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
American Society of Cinematographers Awards
| Year | Title | Category | Result |
| 2003 | Frida | Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases | Nominated |
| 2006 | Brokeback Mountain | Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases | Nominated |
| 2017 | Silence | Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases | Nominated |
| 2020 | The Irishman | Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases | Nominated |
| 2024 | Killers of the Flower Moon | Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases | Nominated |
| 2025 | Fortnight | Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Music Video | Pending |
Camerimage
| Year | Title | Category | Result |
| 2000 | Amores Perros | Golden Frog | Won |
| 2004 | Alexander | Golden Frog | Nominated |
| 2004 | Alexander | Silver Frog | Won |
| 2006 | Babel | Main Competition Golden Frog | Nominated |
| 2007 | Lust, Caution | Main Competition Golden Frog | Nominated |
| 2012 | Argo | Main Competition Golden Frog | Nominated |
| 2012 | Lana Del Rey: Blue Jeans | Best Cinematography in a Music Video | Nominated |
| 2016 | Vinyl | Jury Award Best Pilot | Nominated |
| 2020 | The Irishman | Main Competition Golden Frog | Nominated |
| 2024 | Fortnight | Best Cinematography in a Music Video | Won |
Other awards
| Year | Award | Category | Title | Result |
| 1996 | Ariel Awards | Best Cinematography | All of Them Witches | Won |
| 1999 | Ariel Awards | Best Cinematography | Fibra Óptica | Nominated |
| 1999 | Ariel Awards | Best Cinematography | Un embrujo | Won |
| 1999 | San Sebastián International Film Festival | Jury Prize for Best Cinematography | Un embrujo | Won |
| 2001 | Ariel Awards | Best Cinematography | Amores perros | Won |
| 2003 | Chlotrudis Awards | Best Cinematography | 21 Grams | Nominated |
| 2005 | Circuit Community Awards | Best Cinematography | Brokeback Mountain | Nominated |
| 2005 | Boston Society of Film Critics | Best Cinematography | Brokeback Mountain | Runner-up |
| 2005 | Chicago Film Critics Association | Best Cinematography | Brokeback Mountain | Won |
| 2005 | Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association | Best Cinematography | Brokeback Mountain | Won |
| 2005 | Florida Film Critics Circle | Best Cinematography | Brokeback Mountain | Won |
| 2005 | International Cinephile Society Awards | Best Cinematography | Brokeback Mountain | Runner-up Tied |
| 2005 | International Online Cinema Awards (INOCA) | Best Cinematography | Brokeback Mountain | Nominated |
| 2005 | North Texas Film Critics Association | Best Cinematography | Brokeback Mountain | Won |
| 2005 | Online Film & Television Association | Best Cinematography | Brokeback Mountain | Won |
| 2005 | Online Film Critics Society Award | Best Cinematography | Brokeback Mountain | Won |
| 2005 | Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards | Best Cinematography | Brokeback Mountain | Won |
| 2005 | St. Louis Film Critics Association | Best Cinematography | Brokeback Mountain | Nominated |
| 2006 | Circuit Community Awards | Best Cinematography | Babel | Nominated |
| 2006 | Chicago Film Critics Association | Best Cinematography | Babel | Nominated |
| 2006 | Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association | Best Cinematography | Babel | Runner-up Tied |
| 2006 | International Online Cinema Awards (INOCA) | Best Cinematography | Babel | Nominated |
| 2006 | Online Film Critics Society Award | Best Cinematography | Babel | Nominated |
| 2006 | St. Louis Film Critics Association | Best Cinematography | Babel | Nominated |
| 2008 | Independent Spirit Awards | Best Cinematography | Lust, Caution | Nominated |
| 2007 | Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards | Best Cinematography | Lust, Caution | Nominated |
| 2007 | International Cinematographers' Film Festival Manaki Brothers | Golden Camera 300 | Lust, Caution | Won |
| 2007 | Venice Film Festival | Golden Osella Best cinematography | Lust, Caution | Won |
| 2009 | Cinema Writers Circle Awards, Spain | Best Cinematography | Broken Embraces | Nominated |
| 2010 | Ariel Awards | Best Cinematography | Biutiful | Won |
| 2010 | Goya Awards | Best Cinematography | Biutiful | Nominated |
| 2010 | CinEuphoria Awards | Best Cinematography | Biutiful | Nominated |
| 2012 | Tribeca Film Festival | Jury Award Best Cinematography | Likeness | Nominated |
| 2016 | Circuit Community Awards | Best Cinematography | Silence | Nominated |
| 2016 | Chicago Film Critics Association | Best Cinematography | Silence | Nominated |
| 2016 | Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association | Best Cinematography | Silence | Runner-up |
| 2016 | Georgia Film Critics Association | Best Cinematography | Silence | Nominated |
| 2016 | International Cinephile Society Awards | Best Cinematography | Silence | Runner-up |
| 2016 | International Online Cinema Awards (INOCA) | Best Cinematography | Silence | Nominated |
| 2016 | National Society of Film Critics | Best Cinematography | Silence | Nominated |
| 2016 | Online Film & Television Association | Best Cinematography | Silence | Nominated |
| 2016 | Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards | Best Cinematography | Silence | Nominated |
| 2016 | San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle | Best Cinematography | Silence | Nominated |
| 2019 | Critics' Choice Awards | Best Cinematography | The Irishman | Nominated |
| 2019 | Dublin Film Critics' Circle | Best Cinematography | The Irishman | 6th Place |
| 2019 | Houston Film Critics Society | Best Cinematography | The Irishman | Nominated |
| 2019 | Latino Entertainment Journalists Association Film Awards | Best Cinematography | The Irishman | Nominated |
| 2019 | North Texas Film Critics Association | Best Cinematography | The Irishman | Nominated |
| 2019 | Online Film Critics Society Award | Best Cinematography | The Irishman | Nominated |
| 2019 | Phoenix Critics Circle | Best Cinematography | The Irishman | Nominated |
| 2019 | San Diego Film Critics Society | Best Cinematography | The Irishman | Nominated |
| 2019 | Satellite Awards | Best Cinematography | The Irishman | Nominated |
| 2019 | St. Louis Film Critics Association | Best Cinematography | The Irishman | Nominated |
| 2019 | Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association | Best Cinematography | The Irishman | Nominated |
| 2021 | Vilcek Foundation | Vilcek Prize in Filmmaking | Vilcek Prize in Filmmaking | Won |
| 2024 | MTV Video Music Awards | Best Cinematography | Fortnight | Nominated |