David Gallego

David Gallego, born in 1977 in Bogotá, Colombia, is the kind of cinematographer who makes you remember why you fell in love with movies in the first place. Honestly, if you’ve seen “El abrazo de la serpiente,” you know just how wild and hypnotic his camera work can be—he’s got this knack for turning the Amazon into something otherworldly, almost haunting. People talk about his eye for detail, the way he catches light and shadow, and yeah, it’s not just hype. There’s a reason his name comes up whenever folks start chatting about Latin American cinema that actually punches you in the gut (in a good way). Jump to “Birds of Passage,” and he’s on a whole other level. The way he frames that story about the Wayuu people—there’s something both intimate and epic about it. He brings this raw, almost gritty texture, yet the shots are so beautiful it’s a little unfair. Can’t forget about “I Am Not a Witch,” either. That film’s a trip, visually speaking. Gallego makes the Zambian landscape feel surreal, like you’re walking through a fever dream, but still grounded in reality. He’s not just about style, though. The editing chops? Sharp as hell. There’s rhythm in the way he cuts scenes together, it keeps you on edge but never lost. Gallego’s work isn’t just pretty pictures; it’s storytelling without saying a word. He’s one of those rare talents who can make you feel the weight of a story just by how he moves the camera. Definitely a name worth knowing if you care about film that actually moves you.