Nazarín (1959)
Luis Buñuel's Cannes Prize-winning masterpiece about a devout priest whose pure faith collides with an indifferent and often brutal world.
Nazarín - Movie Information
- Original Title: Nazarín
- Release Year: 1959
- Directed by: Luis Buñuel
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Drama
- Runtime: 1h 35m
- Original Language: Spanish
- Spoken Languages: Spanish
- Release Date (Theatrical): June 4, 1959 (Mexico), September 30, 2020 (France), February 15, 1969 (Italy)
- Alternative Titles: Назарин (RU), Nazarin (US), Tro og lidenskab (DK)
- Production Companies: Producciones Barbachano Ponce
- Production Countries: Mexico
Nazarín - Plot
A Catholic priest in a poor community lives a charitable life in accordance with his religious principles, but others do not return the favor.
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Nazarín - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Luis Buñuel
Main Cast
- Francisco Rabal
- Marga López
- Rita Macedo
- Ignacio López Tarso
- Ofelia Guilmáin
- Luis Aceves Castañeda
- Noé Murayama
- Rosenda Monteros
- Jesús Fernández
- Ada Carrasco
Writers
- Julio Alejandro
- Luis Buñuel
- Emilio Carballido
Producers
- Manuel Barbachano Ponce
Nazarín - FAQs
What is Nazarín about?
Nazarín follows Father Nazario, a deeply devout Catholic priest living in poverty in early 20th-century Mexico. He tries to live by the true teachings of Christ — charity, humility, selflessness — but the world around him responds with indifference, cruelty, and misunderstanding. Buñuel turns this into a piercing meditation on faith and society.
Does Nazarín have an ambiguous or surprising ending?
The ending is one of cinema's most quietly devastating moments. Father Nazario, broken and arrested, is offered a pineapple by a stranger — a small, unexpected act of kindness. His tearful, conflicted reaction leaves viewers to decide whether it signals spiritual renewal, doubt, or simply the weight of a shattered ideal.
Is Nazarín based on a true story or a novel?
Nazarín is adapted from the 1895 novel of the same name by Spanish author Benito Pérez Galdós. Buñuel and co-writers Julio Alejandro and Emilio Carballido transposed the story to Mexico, deepening its critique of institutional religion while preserving the novel's compassionate yet unsentimental portrait of a man of faith.
What does Buñuel say about religion in Nazarín?
Buñuel — a lifelong atheist — crafts a film that is neither a celebration nor a simple attack on faith. Nazario's genuine goodness is never mocked, yet the film shows how pure Christian virtue is incompatible with the real world. It's a deeply ambivalent work that respects its protagonist while questioning everything he stands for.
Who are the main actors in Nazarín?
Francisco Rabal leads the film with a remarkable, restrained performance as Father Nazario. He's joined by Marga López as Beatriz and Rita Macedo as Andara — two women whose troubled lives become entangled with the priest's wandering journey. All three deliver performances of extraordinary emotional depth and nuance.
Where can you watch Nazarín?
You can check current streaming availability for Nazarín on JustWatch, which tracks where the film is available to rent, buy, or stream in your region. Given its status as a celebrated classic, it appears periodically on repertory and arthouse platforms dedicated to world cinema.
Did Nazarín win any major awards?
Nazarín won the International Prize at the 1959 Cannes Film Festival — a special jury recognition that acknowledged its moral and artistic ambition. The film cemented Buñuel's international reputation and is now widely regarded as one of the greatest works of Mexican and world cinema, appearing on numerous all-time best lists.
What makes Gabriel Figueroa's cinematography special here?
Cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa brings his signature mastery of light and landscape to Nazarín. His compositions — vast skies, stark rural terrain, faces etched by hardship — give the film a biblical grandeur that both elevates and ironizes Nazario's journey. The visual poetry is inseparable from the film's spiritual and critical power.
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