The director and his reflections: constructions of self in the work of Luis Buñuel

Abstract

Throughout his career, the Spanish film director Luis Buñuel not only steered clear of the numerous critical readings of his work, but he deliberately fostered their confusion, either by denying the most ingrained interpretations or by diverting the attention of those who inquired about the symbolism of the darkest scenes. This reluctance to offer explanations runs parallel to the dialogue that the director establishes with himself and with his work. Three specular resources that Buñuel uses to insert himself into his written and film work manifest the director’s self-awareness and demonstrate his wish to shape his own image: the cameos, the use of his “fetish actor” Fernando Rey, and his autobiography, My Last Sigh (1982). This essay analyzes the ways in which Buñuel constructs himself as a character and as an authorized source of his works in order to create a very personal cinema that draws on memories and fantasies.