Teo Escamilla
Cinematographer, also director and writer · Died December 21, 1997, aged 57 · Sevilla, Spain
Teodoro Escamilla Serrano; Seville, 1940 - Matanzas, Cuba, 1997 Spanish cinematographer. In contrast to directors of photography who were concerned above all with creating their own style, Teo Escamilla was always in favor of a patient craftsmanship in cinematographic lighting that allowed him to adapt it, scene by scene, to the director's vision and to the specific story. He began his professional career as a photojournalist for publications such as Cine en 7 días, El Caso, the Madrid newspaper and the magazine Sábado Gráfico, and later as a television operator. In 1964 he became assistant cameraman on Llegar a más (1964, Jesús Fernández Santos) and the regular second operator for Luis Cuadrado, his mentor and teacher, whom he succeeded after his retirement due to illness in 1976 as director of photography on the films produced by Elías Querejeta. He debuted as first operator in Las violentas (1974, Fernando Miranda), to later take over from Juan Antonio Ruiz Anchía in El desencanto (1976, Jaime Chávarri), and from then on developed an intense work that would make him one of the most outstanding operators in Spanish cinema. He frequently worked on films by filmmakers such as Carlos Saura, Jaime Chávarri, Jaime de Armiñán (with whom in 1979 he founded the production company A punto, later Serva Films), Víctor Erice, José Luis Borau and Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón, among others. For Carlos Saura's El amor brujo (1986), he received the Goya award for best cinematography. After directing two short films, Quiero ser mayor (1976) and an episode of the collective film Cuentos para una escapada (1979), in 1983 he debuted as a feature film director with Tú solo, a story set in the world of bullfighting, which received the Special Mention for best new director at the San Sebastian International Film Festival, although his career as first director did not continue.
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Biography from TMDB.
- October 23, 1940
- December 21, 1997 (aged 57)
- Sevilla, Spain
- Cinematographer, also director and writer
- 15 on MovieCove · 82 credits in all
What are Teo Escamilla's films like?
Across their 9 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.
Genres
Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 0 · Wry 0 · Earnest 9
A split, not a type: Light 2 · Serious 2 · Dark 5
Grounded 7 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 0
Gentle 3 · Charged 5 · Intense 1
Steady 4 · Shifting 5 · Whiplash 0
Straight-faced 8 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 0
Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 1 · Relentless 0
Casual 5 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 0
A split, not a type: Easy watch 0 · Affecting 4 · Heavy 5
Resolved 4 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 0
Moods and endings
- Bittersweet4
- Tragic3
- Ambiguous2
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Teo Escamilla's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 10 of their 15 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Criterion Channel (4).
Subscription and free streaming for Teo Escamilla's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
82 credits, 15 with a MovieCove page.
The Rats (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)
Robo en el cine Capitol (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)
El rey del río(1995)
Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films
Felicidades, Tovarich (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
La Lola se va a los puertos (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)
The Dark Night of the Soul (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
Juncal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
Berlin Blues (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)
El Dorado (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)
Mi general (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)
El amor brujo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)
Tata Mía (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)
The Witching Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)
Beyond the Walls (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)
Stico (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)
On the Line(1984)
Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films
The Stilts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)
Tu Solo(1984)
Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
A Summer in Hell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)
Ferocious (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)
Dressed in Blue(1983)
Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
Carmen(1983)
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
Antonieta (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
Sweet Hours (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
Trágala, perro (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
Evening Performance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
Cuentos para una escapada (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
Deprisa, Deprisa(1981)
Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films
Blood Wedding (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
Maravillas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
The Nest(1980)
Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
Dedicated to... (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)
F. E. N. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)
Mama Turns 100 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
Heart of the Forest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
Somnambulists (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)
The Prodigious Life of Father Vincent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)
Blindfolded Eyes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)
Nunca es tarde (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)
To an Unknown God (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)
In memoriam(1977)
Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Elisa, My Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)
Caperucita y Roja (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)
Del amor y de la muerte (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)
The Burned City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)
The Disenchantment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)
Cría Cuervos(1976)
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
Viure sense Viure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)
Hard Times for Dracula (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)
B. Must Die (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)
The Love of Captain Brando (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)
Las violentas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)
A Chaste Spanish Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
A Candle for the Devil(1973)
Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
Horror Express(1972)
Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films
My Dearest Senorita (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)
The Roosters of Dawn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)
Cut-Throats Nine(1972)
Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films
Cake of Blood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)
El dinero tiene miedo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)
Las secretas intenciones (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)
The Challenges (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)
Honeycomb (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)
Nocturno 29(1969)
Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
Urtain, King of the Mountains (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)
Stress Is Three(1968)
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
¡Cómo está el servicio! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)
Los flamencos (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)
Smashing Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)
40 grados a la sombra (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)
Peppermint Frappé (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)
De cuerpo presente (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)
Crónica de nueve meses (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)
Los celos y el duende (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)
The Hunt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)
El arte de vivir (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)
Nine Letters to Berta (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)
Una chica para dos (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)
Fantasía... 3 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)
Snakes and Ladders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)
Muere una mujer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)
Career shape
A full career of 82 titles from 1964 to 1997.
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.
How do Teo Escamilla's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 64th percentile, the median of all 15; across their 9 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 78th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up6
- 50th to 74th5
- 25th to 49th2
- Below 25th2
Shape of the crowd
5 of their 15 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved3
- Cult Classic1
- Crowd Pleaser5
- Broadly Agreed3
- Mixed3
Reviewers score the cinematography 74/100 in their films, across 4 reviewed titles; fans 76, detractors 60. The element that speaks to their work as a cinematographer.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Who does Teo Escamilla work with?
People who share at least 2 of Teo Escamilla's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Carlos Saura shares the most, 3.
Directors
- Carlos SauraShared titles: Carmen (1983), Deprisa, Deprisa (1981), Cría Cuervos (1976)See all 3 shared titles with Carlos Saura
Actors
- Héctor AlterioShared titles: El rey del río (1995), The Nest (1980), Cría Cuervos (1976)See all 3 shared titles with Héctor Alterio
- Ana TorrentShared titles: The Nest (1980), Cría Cuervos (1976)See all 2 shared titles with Ana Torrent
- Geraldine ChaplinShared titles: In memoriam (1977), Cría Cuervos (1976)See all 2 shared titles with Geraldine Chaplin
Cinematographers and editors
- Antonio EscamillaShared titles: Tu Solo (1984), Dressed in Blue (1983)See all 2 shared titles with Antonio Escamilla
- Pedro del ReyShared titles: Tu Solo (1984), Carmen (1983)See all 2 shared titles with Pedro del Rey
- Pablo G. del AmoShared titles: Deprisa, Deprisa (1981), Cría Cuervos (1976)See all 2 shared titles with Pablo G. del Amo
Producers
- José Luis BorauShared titles: On the Line (1984), In memoriam (1977)See all 2 shared titles with José Luis Borau
- Emiliano PiedraShared titles: Carmen (1983), In memoriam (1977)See all 2 shared titles with Emiliano Piedra
- Elías QuerejetaShared titles: Deprisa, Deprisa (1981), Cría Cuervos (1976)See all 2 shared titles with Elías Querejeta
