Guillermo del Toro is a director of myths and fairytales, whose eclectic aesthetic draws on the occult, Victoriana, and the gothic. Titled after Edgar Allan Poe’s Tales of Mystery and Imagination, a major influence on the director, this retrospective presents theatrical releases and television series directed by Del Toro, along with others he wrote and produced. A storyteller who has experimented across a wide range of genres, from big-box action, sci-fi, and superhero movies, to horror and crime thrillers, to visionary art films, Del Toro is a filmmaker of distinctive vision. Using fantastical visuals—makeup and special effects often play a central role in conveying emotion—and dark thematic undertones, he explores the complex relationship between fathers and sons, death and mourning, and the beauty of monsters. His rebellious, generous, expansive films move and terrify, calling viewers to embrace imperfection, find redemption in the grotesque, and dream of a better world.
Organized by Kyla Gordon, Research Assistant, Department of Film.
Film at MoMA is made possible by CHANEL.
Additional support is provided by the Annual Film Fund. Leadership support for the Annual Film Fund is provided by Debra and Leon D. Black, with major contributions from The Contemporary Arts Council of The Museum of Modern Art, Jo Carole and Ronald S. Lauder, the Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP), The Junior Associates of The Museum of Modern Art, and Karen and Gary Winnick.
