Emilio Fernandez

Emilio Fernández was a Mexican film director, actor and screenwriter who was one of the most prolific and influential filmmakers of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema in the 1940s and 1950s. He is best known for his work as director of the film María Candelaria, which won the Palme d'Or award at the 1946 Cannes Film Festival. He also directed other acclaimed films such as Flor Silvestre, Enamorada, Río Escondido, Pueblerina, Salón México and La perla. He was nicknamed "El Indio" because of his indigenous ancestry and his portrayal of native characters in his films. He often collaborated with the cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa, the actress Dolores del Río and the composer Manuel Esperón. As an actor, he worked in numerous film productions in Mexico and in Hollywood, appearing in films such as The Wild Bunch, The Night of the Iguana, Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia and Under the Volcano. He was the father of the Mexican actor Jaime Fernández and the grandfather of the Mexican actress Adela Fernández. He was also a political activist and a supporter of the Mexican Revolution, which influenced his cinematic style and themes. He died of a heart attack in 1986 at the age of 82.