Eugenio Polgovsky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eugenio Polgovsky
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Polgovsky at the Berlinale, 2009
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| Born | June 29, 1977 |
| Died | 11 August 2017 (aged 40) |
| Occupation | Director, Cinematographer and Editor |
| Years active | 1994 - 2017 |
Eugenio Polgovsky (born June 29, 1977, in Mexico City, Mexico – died August 11, 2017, in London, United Kingdom) was a talented Mexican filmmaker and visual artist. He was a true all-rounder, working as a director, cameraman, editor, sound designer, and producer for his own movies.
Polgovsky became famous for his powerful Mexican documentaries. Two of his most well-known films are "Tropic of Cancer" (shown at Semaine de la Critique in 2005) and Los Herederos (meaning "The Inheritors"). "The Inheritors" was featured at the Venice Film Festival in 2008 and the Berlinale in 2009.
He was the first filmmaker ever invited to be a Fellow Communer in Arts at Trinity College, Cambridge, in 2016. This is a very special honor.
Eugenio Polgovsky also started his own film company, Tecolote Films, in Mexico City in 2004. He won many awards for his work, including four Ariel Awards (which are like the Mexican Academy Awards). He also received more than 20 international awards, such as the Joris Ivens Award in Paris in 2005.
He was known as a creative and independent documentary maker. He brought a unique and artistic style to his films. He worked closely with the communities he filmed, exploring their lives and situations. His special way of filming, combined with careful editing, showed different parts of Mexican life. This included ancient rural areas and the busy modern city of Mexico.
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York showed his film "Tropic of Cancer." It was part of a collection of the most creative new films from the region.
Biography
Eugenio Polgovsky studied filmmaking at the Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica in Mexico City.
Early Films and Awards
In 2004, he made "Tropic of Cancer." This film showed the daily struggles of families trying to survive in the desert of San Luis Potosí, Mexico. The movie won many awards around the world. These included the Joris Ivens Award, an Ariel Award, and recognition at the International Film Festival Rotterdam. It was also shown at the Semaine de la Critique in Cannes and the Sundance Film Festival.
In 2007, he founded Tecolote Films. This was a Mexican independent company focused on making documentaries. With support from film funds, he produced "The Inheritors." This documentary was filmed over three years in eight rural areas of Mexico. It showed the lives of children from farming families. "The Inheritors" premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2008. It was also shown at the Berlinale in 2009. It was the first documentary ever invited to the "Generation" section of the Berlinale. The film also won the Coral Award at the Havana Film Festival.
Later Works and Recognition
In 2012, Polgovsky directed "Mitote" (meaning "Mexican Ritual"). He made this film independently, doing the editing and cinematography himself. "Mitote" captured the struggle of an electricians' union. This happened during the FIFA World Cup and Bicentennial celebrations in the main square of Mexico City, known as the Zocalo.
In 2014, he won his fourth Ariel Award. This was for his short documentary film "Un Salto de Vida" (meaning "A Leap of Life"). The film was about the serious pollution of the Santiago River in Jalisco. It also showed a family fighting against corruption and unfairness from factories.
Polgovsky received over 30 awards for his different skills. These included awards for his editing and photography. In 2010, he was invited to the Flaherty Seminar in the United States. There, he presented his films and discussed his work. He also gave a presentation of his films in Cambridge, UK.
See also
In Spanish: Eugenio Polgovsky para niños
