I am Alberto Balázs an Argentinian/Spanish Cinematographer based between London and Lisbon, working internationally at the intersections of fiction and documentary.

My work has been screened and awarded internationally at Festivals as Sundance, Venice Biennale, Rotterdam International Film Festival, The New York Film Festival, Ficunam, Fribourg, ICA / The Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, Viennale, Doclisboa, Bafici, HKIFF, Busan, AFI FEST, Taipei Golden Horse, Seminci, SVA, as well as museums, galleries, and universities.

Background:

A childhood between Patagonia, Basque Country and Buenos Aires, were I first studied music, brought me to photography and later cinema studies in Barcelona, London was my playground as a Gaffer and young Cinematographer, and now Lisbon and London are where I center my work and my family.

Some of the early ethnographic fictions that I did brought me to work with marginalized communities in Latin America, bringing together stories of migration, memory, ancestral wisdom from syncretic cultures. My photographic work in India had a great impact in my philosophy of what cinema, or at least the cinema I am interest could focus on, the idea of presence, for the time unfolding in-front of the camera and respect of the subjects and their stories. 

My work moves between quiet intimacy and experiencial intensity. I work with directors who have a personal language of cinema and a distinct vision of the world.

I am interested in projects that are centered on the human condition as well as social and environmental justice. I tend to work with a narrative and sensorial use of lighting, with a natural feel, I work with all digital cameras and have extensive experience and particular inclination to working in in 16mm and 35mm.

I have collaborated on international projects across the UK, Argentina, Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal, Denmark, the U.S., India, Pakistan, amongst others.

I operate the camera, and I am also a trained colorist and Gaffer.

Education:

I hold an MA in Cinematography by the ESCAC in Barcelona, and a BA in Audiovisual Communication.

I have attended workshops and masterclasses with Christopher Doyle, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Ellen Kuras, Walter Murch, Salomé Lamas, Stephen Daldry, Janus Kaminski, Tom Stern, William Klein, Roger Deakins, Pietro Scalia, Andrzej Wajda, Stephen Frears, Paolo Roversi, Edu Grau, Manoel de Oliveira, Jacques Aumont, Gustavo Santaolalla, Xavi Gimenez, and Pierre Lhomme.

Selected Films and Awards:

In 2012 I was selected as UK Cinematographer for the Berlinale Talents with the ethnographic-fiction “The Inner Valley” shot in S16mm in Argentina, exhibited at BAFICI and IFFR, among others.

In 2020 the feature film Piedra Sola had its world premiere at the IFFR for the Tiger Competition. The film, directed by Alejandro T. Tarraf in Argentina, had the support of the National Institute of Cinema in Argentina (INCAA) and the Doha Film Institute.

In 2020 I was also awarded the Professional Achievement Award for the film Piedra Sola at Zerkalo Film Festival, and in 2021 I was awarded Best Cinematography for the same film by the Argentinian Association of Cinematographers (ADF).

In 2021 I presented the film Mulaqat (Sandstorm) directed by Seemab Gul at the Venice Biennale. Later in 2022 the film was part of the Official Competition at the Sundance International Film Festival and became part of The New Yorker Magazine film catalogue. The same year the film received numerous awards including Best Cinematography at Vaughan Film Festival.

Now/Future:

I am currently working on the development of my second feature film Alumbre that will be shot in Galicia, Spain, produced by Zeitun Films, and presented at Cinemart 2024.