Gabriel Figueroa

Gabriel Figueroa, a leading cinematographer who worked with the great performers and directors of Mexico's Golden Age of film as well as with U.S. directors John Huston and John Ford, has died. He was 89. Figueroa died Sunday after suffering a stroke, only three days after his 89th birthday. The Mexico City native made more than 200 films and won numerous international awards.

Maria Elena Marques, 83, a Mexican actress who starred in the 1947 movie "The Pearl," died of heart failure Tuesday, her family announced in Mexico City. Marques played the long-suffering wife of a fisherman who finds a beautiful but ill-fated pearl in the film based on a book by John Steinbeck. The film, directed by Emilio Fernandez, won a Golden Globe award for the luminous cinematography of Gabriel Figueroa. One of the few surviving stars of Mexico's "Golden Age" of movies of the 1940s and early 1950s, Marques also appeared in the 1943 movie "Dona Barbara" alongside actress Maria Felix.

MANY photo artists take pictures of countries. But only a few, like Gabriel Figueroa, get to invent countries, visually, with the images they create. During his prolific 50-year career, which began as a still photographer and included a brief Hollywood sojourn, Figueroa forged a film iconography that was as elaborately crafted with calculated symbolism as a baroque altarpiece.

MANY photo artists take pictures of countries. But only a few, like Gabriel Figueroa, get to invent countries, visually, with the images they create. During his prolific 50-year career, which began as a still photographer and included a brief Hollywood sojourn, Figueroa forged a film iconography that was as elaborately crafted with calculated symbolism as a baroque altarpiece.

Maria Elena Marques, 83, a Mexican actress who starred in the 1947 movie "The Pearl," died of heart failure Tuesday, her family announced in Mexico City. Marques played the long-suffering wife of a fisherman who finds a beautiful but ill-fated pearl in the film based on a book by John Steinbeck. The film, directed by Emilio Fernandez, won a Golden Globe award for the luminous cinematography of Gabriel Figueroa. One of the few surviving stars of Mexico's "Golden Age" of movies of the 1940s and early 1950s, Marques also appeared in the 1943 movie "Dona Barbara" alongside actress Maria Felix.

UCLA began its "Mexican Film and the Literary Tradition" series Thursday by honoring a legendary cinematographer. Gabriel Figueroa, who was behind the camera on "Los Olvidados," "The Pearl" and John Huston's "Night of the Iguana," was on hand at the Motion Picture Academy's theater to receive praise from 450 guests at the post-tribute reception.

Vikki Carr's new Sony LP, "Cosas del Amor," includes the No. 1 single by the same name, a duet with Mexico's Ana Gabriel. Penned and produced by Argentina's Roberto Livi, the poignant lyrics have Carr (who was born in El Paso, and whose full name is Florencia Vicenta de Casillas Martinez Cardona) advising Gabriel on "matters of love." Carr admits the song is personally meaningful.

Some of the latest in international cinematic comedy, tragedy, documentary and animation will be presented during a weeklong film festival that begins today. All showings will be at the Fine Arts Theatre, 1818 Garnet Ave. in Pacific Beach. Here is a schedule. Tickets are $5 a night, or $32 for a block of eight programs, and are available at the Fine Arts Theatre and the Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park. The festival was described in Wednesday's Calendar section.

When Javier Figueroa's cellphone rang early one morning this month, he was delighted to hear the voice of his son, Gabriel, calling to say hello from Baghdad, where he was serving in the Army. Because Gabriel had borrowed the phone from a friend, the father and son spoke for only a few minutes. Gabriel told his dad that he was preparing to go out on patrol. "Be very careful, son," his father said. "Don't forget to say your prayers." Hours later, Gabriel J. Figueroa, 20, was shot and killed.

When Javier Figueroa's cellphone rang early one morning this month, he was delighted to hear the voice of his son, Gabriel, calling to say hello from Baghdad, where he was serving in the Army. Because Gabriel had borrowed the phone from a friend, the father and son spoke for only a few minutes. Gabriel told his dad that he was preparing to go out on patrol. "Be very careful, son," his father said. "Don't forget to say your prayers." Hours later, Gabriel J. Figueroa, 20, was shot and killed.

Gabriel Figueroa, a leading cinematographer who worked with the great performers and directors of Mexico's Golden Age of film as well as with U.S. directors John Huston and John Ford, has died. He was 89. Figueroa died Sunday after suffering a stroke, only three days after his 89th birthday. The Mexico City native made more than 200 films and won numerous international awards.

Vikki Carr's new Sony LP, "Cosas del Amor," includes the No. 1 single by the same name, a duet with Mexico's Ana Gabriel. Penned and produced by Argentina's Roberto Livi, the poignant lyrics have Carr (who was born in El Paso, and whose full name is Florencia Vicenta de Casillas Martinez Cardona) advising Gabriel on "matters of love." Carr admits the song is personally meaningful.

UCLA began its "Mexican Film and the Literary Tradition" series Thursday by honoring a legendary cinematographer. Gabriel Figueroa, who was behind the camera on "Los Olvidados," "The Pearl" and John Huston's "Night of the Iguana," was on hand at the Motion Picture Academy's theater to receive praise from 450 guests at the post-tribute reception.

Some of the latest in international cinematic comedy, tragedy, documentary and animation will be presented during a weeklong film festival that begins today. All showings will be at the Fine Arts Theatre, 1818 Garnet Ave. in Pacific Beach. Here is a schedule. Tickets are $5 a night, or $32 for a block of eight programs, and are available at the Fine Arts Theatre and the Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park. The festival was described in Wednesday's Calendar section.

The first Los Angeles International Latino Film Festival will open Wednesday with the U.S. premiere of Mexican director Carlos Marcovich's "Quien Diablos es Juliette?" at 7 p.m. on two screens at the Universal City Cinemas, Universal CityWalk. There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony at 6:30 p.m. at the cinema's mezzanine.

The first Los Angeles International Latino Film Festival continues through Sunday at the Alfred Hitchcock Theatre complex on the Universal Studios lot. Presentations include a series of L.A. premieres of films from South America (today) and classic films from Cuba (Sunday). Featured is a tribute to legendary Mexican cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa, whose work graced films on both sides of the border, including: * "Maria Candelaria" (1946) (11 a.m.