Simon of the Desert

Simon of the Desert
Original film poster
SpanishSimón del desierto
Directed byLuis Buñuel
Screenplay byLuis Buñuel
Julio Alejandro
Story byLuis Buñuel
Produced byGustavo Alatriste[1]
StarringClaudio Brook
Silvia Pinal
CinematographyGabriel Figueroa[1]
Edited byCarlos Savage Jr.[1]
Music byRaúl Lavista[1]
Production
companies
Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Producción Cinematográfica[1]
Estudios Churubusco
Distributed byAltura International
Release dates
  • August 27, 1965 (1965-08-27) (Venice)
  • February 9, 1970 (1970-02-09) (Mexico)
Running time
45 minutes
CountryMexico
LanguagesSpanish
Latin

Simon of the Desert (Spanish: Simón del desierto) is a 1965 Mexican surrealist film directed by Luis Buñuel and starring Claudio Brook and Silvia Pinal. It is loosely based on the story of the ascetic 5th-century Syrian saint Simeon Stylites, who lived for 39 years on top of a pillar. The screenplay was co-written by Buñuel and his frequent collaborator Julio Alejandro.

Following Viridiana (1961) and The Exterminating Angel (1962), Simon of the Desert was the third, and last, of Buñuel's films to star Pinal and be produced by Gustavo Alatriste, Pinal's husband at the time. It was also the final film of Buñuel's Mexican period before he returned to Europe. Today, it is generally acclaimed by film critics, who consider it to be one of the director's most demonstrative works.[2][3]

  1. ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference mfb1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Simon of the Desert". The Criterion Collection. Retrieved 2021-05-25.
  3. ^ Heslin, David (19 December 2011). "The Impotence of Asceticism: Luis Buñuel's Simón del Desierto – Senses of Cinema". Retrieved 2021-05-25.