Arturo Ripstein y Rosen (born December 13, 1943) is a Mexican film director. Ripstein got his break into movies working as an uncredited assistant director for Luis Buñuel. In 1965, he directed his first feature, Tiempo de Morir. Written by Carlos Fuentes and Gabriel García Márquez, it began a tradition of making independent films written by high-profile Latin-American authors. His 1981 film Seduction was entered into the 12th Moscow International Film Festival. His 1989 film Love Lies was entered into the 16th Moscow International Film Festival. In 1997 Ripstein won the National Prize of Arts and Sciences, the second filmmaker after Buñuel to do so. Some of Ripstein's films, especially the earlier ones, "highlighted characters beset by futile compulsions to escape [their]destinies". Many of his films are shot in tawdry interiors, with bleak brown color schemes, and seedy pathetic characters who manage to achieve a hint of pathos and dignity. Asi Es la Vida, according to Jonathan Crow, "boldly reworks the ancient Greek drama Medea, employing a dizzying array of flashbacks and Brechtian devices". Deep Crimson, according to the New York Times, is "a ferociously anti-romantic portrait of an obese nurse and a seedy small-time gigolo whose bungling scheme to swindle a succession of lonely women out of their life savings turns into a killing spree."
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Biography from TMDB.
- December 13, 1943 (82)
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Director, writer and actor
- 11 on MovieCove · 63 credits in all
What are Arturo Ripstein's films like?
Across their 8 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.
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 1 · Earnest 6
A split, not a type: Light 1 · Serious 2 · Dark 4
A split, not a type: Grounded 4 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 0
A split, not a type: Gentle 2 · Charged 2 · Intense 3
Steady 4 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 2
Straight-faced 4 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 0
Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 0
Casual 3 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 0
A split, not a type: Easy watch 2 · Affecting 1 · Heavy 4
Resolved 3 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 1
Moods and endings
- Happy1
- Bittersweet1
- Tragic4
- 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 Arturo Ripstein's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 8 of their 11 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.
Subscription and free streaming for Arturo Ripstein'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
63 credits, 11 with a MovieCove page; 7 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.
Memoria de Los Olvidados (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)
Jugaremos en el bosque(2024)
Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films
Recuerdo De Mi Presentación (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)
Devil Between the Legs(2019)
Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
The Queen of Spain(2016)
Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films
Signos de vida y rebeldía (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)
Bleak Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)
Internet Junkie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)
The Reasons of the Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)
Crazy Carnival (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
Los héroes y el tiempo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)
Mi gran noche (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
The Virgin of Lust (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)
Such is Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)
The Ruination of Men (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
Divine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)
Deep Crimson(1996)
Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films
Woman of the Port (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)
The Queen of the Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)
The Beginning and the End (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)
Triángulo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)
La sonrisa del Diablo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)
Simplemente Maria (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
Love Lies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
Sweet Challenge(1988)
Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows
The Realm of Fortune(1986)
Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
El otro (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)
The African Lover (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)
The Black Widow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)
Seduction (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
Trail of Death (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
Aunt Alejandra (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)
The Flight of the Stork (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
Life Sentence(1979)
Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
The Illegal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
The Place Without Limits (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)
Lecumberri, the Dark Palace (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)
Cuartelazo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)
The Drunkard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)
Foxtrot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)
The Holy Inquisition (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)
Cinco mil dolares de recompensa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)
La causa (Tres preguntas a Chávez) (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)
Castle of Purity (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)
The Castaway on the Street of Providence (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)
Whoever is Responsible (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)
Autobiografía (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)
Crimen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)
Exorcismos (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)
La belleza (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)
Memories of the Future (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)
The Children's Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)
Familiaridades(1969)
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Mariana (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)
The Specter's Road (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)
Dangerous Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)
H.O. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)
Time to Die (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)
There Are No Thieves in This Village (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)
Los novios de mis hijas(1964)
Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
The Exterminating Angel(1962)
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all filmsTiempo de Correr (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Career shape
A full career of 63 titles, 62 of them dated from 1962 to 2025.
Film career
- 2016Screen debut· The Queen of Spain
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 Arturo Ripstein's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 64th percentile, the median of all 10; across their 7 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 68th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up4
- 50th to 74th4
- 25th to 49th2
- Below 25th1
Shape of the crowd
6 of their 11 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved1
- Crowd Pleaser6
- Mixed4
Reviewers score the atmosphere 78/100 and the pacing 42/100 in their films, across 3 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.
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 Arturo Ripstein work with?
People who share at least 2 of Arturo Ripstein's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Paz Alicia Garciadiego shares the most, 4.
Writers
- Paz Alicia GarciadiegoShared titles: Devil Between the Legs (2019), No One Writes to the Colonel (1999), Deep Crimson (1996), The Realm of Fortune (1986)See all 4 shared titles with Paz Alicia Garciadiego
Actors
- Daniel Giménez CachoShared titles: Devil Between the Legs (2019), No One Writes to the Colonel (1999), Deep Crimson (1996)See all 3 shared titles with Daniel Giménez Cacho
- Patricia Reyes SpíndolaShared titles: Devil Between the Legs (2019), No One Writes to the Colonel (1999), Deep Crimson (1996)See all 3 shared titles with Patricia Reyes Spíndola
- Esteban SoberanesShared titles: No One Writes to the Colonel (1999), Deep Crimson (1996)See all 2 shared titles with Esteban Soberanes
- Marisa ParedesShared titles: No One Writes to the Colonel (1999), Deep Crimson (1996)See all 2 shared titles with Marisa Paredes
Composers and cinematographers
- David MansfieldShared titles: Devil Between the Legs (2019), No One Writes to the Colonel (1999), Deep Crimson (1996)See all 3 shared titles with David Mansfield
- Guillermo GranilloShared titles: No One Writes to the Colonel (1999), Deep Crimson (1996)See all 2 shared titles with Guillermo Granillo
Mixed roles
- JulissaShared titles: Sweet Challenge (1988), Los novios de mis hijas (1964)See all 2 shared titles with Julissa
