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Father, Cinematographer, Photographer, Cook, Traveler, Student. Antonio began his career as a photographer with a Nikormat, a 50 mm and B&W lab at home. The adventures started when he moved from Mexico City to Durango in the north of Mexico to work with the Huicholes as “The one who copies” using the same camera but adding a Nikon 80-200mm. 

After an intensive course in human development in Fort Fraser B.C., with Grandma Grizzly from the Cree Nation and an epiphany in a frozen lake to move from stills photography to the moving camera, he started his film career in Mexico shooting the BTS of “Puma’s Daughter” which allowed him to see DOP Dirk Brüel work and knowing this impression was going to last for the rest of his life. After having moved back to Mexico City he worked as a film loader on Clear and Present Danger with Don McAlpine ACS, ASC and then after a few jobs he started pulling focus for DOP’s like Emmanuel Lubezki ASC, Juan Ruiz Anchia ASC, Declan Quinn, Patrick Duroux AFC, and Pascal Rabaud, he then got the job to pull focus on “Rough Magic with DOP John Campbell directed by Claire Peploe. After this he started to shoot commercials in Mexico for the next 8 years and then moved to Prague to shoot his first feature “Normal” with Julius Ševčik for which he was nominated for a Czech Lion, his next feature opened many creative doors; Pa Negre with director Agustí Villaronga gave him the highest recognition in Spain with a Goya and a Gaudí awards. 

He shot Kathmandu in Nepal with Iciar Bollaín and then Mama with Andy and Barbara Muschietti (starring Jessica Chastain and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau produced by Guillermo del Toro).  Living in Prague, Antonio shot Lidice with Petr Nikolaev, Czech Made Man with Tomaš Rehorek, and Last Knights with Kaz Kiriya produced by Kevan van Thompson.  Eventually he moved to LA and shot Face of Love with Arie Posin (starring Annettte Bening, Ed Harris and Robin Williams), The Bachelors with Kurt Voelker (starring JK Simmons and Julie Delpy). 

PRESS

AbelCine: Conscious Lighting Master Class by Antonio Riestra ASC, AČK, AEC

Making Horror Films is Discovering your own Demons- "Mama" by Antonio Riestra

Canadian Academy unveils nominees

Prize-winners - III Gaudí Awards

The Hollywood Reporter: Agusti Villaronga’s ‘Black Bread’ Tops Spain’s Goya Awards

'Pa Negre' Is Spain's Choice For Foreign Language Oscar Over Almodovar

Antonio Riestra and Tobias A. Schliessler to Teach Sept. ASC Master Class

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