Rodrigo Prieto

Rodrigo Prieto Stambaugh (born 23 November 1965) is a Mexican cinematographer and film director.

He has collaborated with Martin Scorsese and Alejandro González Iñárritu, among other prominent directors. He is a member of both the Mexican Society of Cinematographers and the American Society of Cinematographers. Throughout his career, Prieto has received many awards and nominations, including four Academy Award nominations for Best Cinematography in Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain (2005) and Martin Scorsese's Silence (2016), The Irishman (2019), and Killers of the Flower Moon (2023).

Early life and education Rodrigo Prieto was born in Mexico City, Mexico. His grandfather, Jorge Prieto Laurens, was the mayor of Mexico City and leader of the Chamber of Deputies of Mexico, but was later persecuted by the country's ruler because of political differences. Prieto's grandfather escaped with his family to Texas and then to Los Angeles, where Prieto's father would spend most of his childhood. Prieto's father studied aeronautical engineering at New York University, where he met and married Prieto's mother, an artist. Rodrigo Prieto graduated from Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica in Mexico City.

Career

Prieto is noted for his unconventional use of the camera often combined with strong moody lighting. In 25th Hour, Prieto utilized overexposure and other techniques to create original dream-like images to signify that the events shown on screen are memories or visions. Similarly innovative photography could be spotted in Frida, featuring strong colors and sharp imagery blended with atmospheric yellows and browns, as well as his experimental use of infrared during a battle scene in Alexander. Prieto also is interested in evoking naturalism, most evident in The Homesman and Brokeback Mountain. Prieto not only shot Brokeback Mountain, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography, but appeared in a cameo role within the film as a Mexican gigolo whom Jake Gyllenhaal's character, Jack Twist, meets.

Prieto has formed an artistic collaboration with Martin Scorsese on his films The Wolf of Wall Street, Silence, The Irishman, and Killers of the Flower Moon. He garnered nominations for Academy Award for Best Cinematography for the latter three. He served as cinematographer for the music videos for the three Taylor Swift 2020 singles, "The Man", which references one of his previous films The Wolf of Wall Street, "Cardigan" and "Willow". He went on to work with Swift on her videos for “The Fate of Ophelia” and “Opalite” in 2025 and 2026 respectively.

Prieto is the recipient of the 2021 Vilcek Prize in Filmmaking, awarded by the Vilcek Foundation.

In October 2023, Prieto served as a juror at the Morelia International Film Festival in Michoacán, Mexico.

Personal life Prieto resides in Los Angeles, California with his wife Monica and they have two daughters.

Filmography

Feature film Year Title Director Notes

Television Documentary series Year Title Director Notes 2003–2004 America UndercoverOliver Stone Segments Persona Non Grata and Looking for Fidel 2017 The Putin Interviews Miniseries

TV series Year Title Director Notes 2015 What Lives Inside Robert Stromberg 1 episode 2016 Vinyl Martin Scorsese Episode "Pilot"

Music video +YearTitleArtistDirector 2012 "Blue Jeans" Lana Del Rey Yoann Lemoine2020 "The Man"Taylor Swift "Cardigan" "Willow" 2024 "Fortnight" (featuring Post Malone) 2025 "The Fate of Ophelia" 2026 "Opalite"

Awards and nominations Academy Awards Year Title Category Result 2006 Brokeback MountainBest Cinematography 2017 Silence 2020 The Irishman 2024 Killers of the Flower Moon

BAFTA Awards Year Title Category Result 2006 Brokeback MountainBest Cinematography 2007 Babel 2020 The Irishman 2024 Killers of the Flower Moon

American Society of Cinematographers Awards Year Title Category Result 2003 Frida Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases 2006 Brokeback Mountain 2017 Silence 2020 The Irishman 2024 Killers of the Flower Moon 2025 "Fortnight" Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Music Video 2026 "The Fate of Ophelia"

Camerimage Year Title Category Result 2000 Amores Perros Golden Frog 2004Alexander Silver Frog 2006 BabelMain Competition Golden Frog 2007 Lust, Caution 2012 Argo "Blue Jeans" Best Cinematography in a Music Video 2016 Vinyl Jury Award Best Pilot 2020 The Irishman Main Competition Golden Frog 2024 "Fortnight" Best Cinematography in a Music Video

Other awards Year Award Category Title Result 1996 Ariel Awards Best Cinematography All of Them Witches 1999 Fibra Óptica Best Cinematography Un embrujo San Sebastián International Film Festival Jury Prize for Best Cinematography 2001 Ariel Awards Best Cinematography Amores perros 2003 Chlotrudis Awards Best Cinematography 21 Grams 2005 Circuit Community Awards Best Cinematography Brokeback Mountain 2005 Boston Society of Film Critics Best Cinematography 2005 Chicago Film Critics Association Best Cinematography 2005 Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Best Cinematography 2005 Florida Film Critics Circle Best Cinematography 2005 International Cinephile Society Awards Best Cinematography 2005 International Online Cinema Awards (INOCA) Best Cinematography 2005 North Texas Film Critics Association Best Cinematography 2005 Online Film & Television Association Best Cinematography 2005 Online Film Critics Society Award Best Cinematography 2005 Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards Best Cinematography 2005 St. Louis Film Critics Association Best Cinematography 2006 Circuit Community Awards Best Cinematography Babel 2006 Chicago Film Critics Association Best Cinematography 2006 Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Best Cinematography 2006 International Online Cinema Awards (INOCA) Best Cinematography 2006 Online Film Critics Society Award Best Cinematography 2006 St. Louis Film Critics Association Best Cinematography 2008 Independent Spirit Awards Best CinematographyLust, Caution 2007 Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards Best Cinematography 2007 International Cinematographers'Film Festival Manaki Brothers Golden Camera 300 2007 Venice Film Festival Golden Osella Best cinematography 2009 Cinema Writers Circle Awards, Spain Best Cinematography Broken Embraces 2010 Ariel Awards Best Cinematography Biutiful 2010 Goya Awards Best Cinematography 2010 CinEuphoria Awards Best Cinematography 2012 Tribeca Film Festival Jury Award Best Cinematography Likeness 2016 Circuit Community Awards Best Cinematography Silence 2016 Chicago Film Critics Association Best Cinematography 2016 Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Best Cinematography 2016 Georgia Film Critics Association Best Cinematography 2016 International Cinephile Society Awards Best Cinematography 2016 International Online Cinema Awards (INOCA) Best Cinematography 2016 National Society of Film Critics Best Cinematography 2016 Online Film & Television Association Best Cinematography 2016 Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards Best Cinematography 2016 San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle Best Cinematography 2019 Critics' Choice Awards Best Cinematography The Irishman 2019 Dublin Film Critics' Circle Best Cinematography 2019 Houston Film Critics Society Best Cinematography 2019 Latino Entertainment JournalistsAssociation Film Awards Best Cinematography 2019 North Texas Film Critics Association Best Cinematography 2019 Online Film Critics Society Award Best Cinematography 2019 Phoenix Critics Circle Best Cinematography 2019 San Diego Film Critics Society Best Cinematography 2019 Satellite Awards Best Cinematography 2019 St. Louis Film Critics Association Best Cinematography 2019 Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Best Cinematography 2021 Vilcek Foundation Vilcek Prize in Filmmaking 2024 MTV Video Music Awards Best Cinematography "Fortnight" 2026 "The Fate of Ophelia"