Skip to content
The Beginning and the End poster
7.7 / 10(19 votes)IMDb19943h 7mMexico

The Beginning and the End

Principio y fin

“Arturo Ripstein's Masterpiece”

Topics:#family

Synopsis

The film tells the story of the Boteros, a middle-class Mexican family struggling against poverty after their father's death. Ignacia (Egurrola) is the Boteros mother, a desperate woman who chooses to sacrifice the destiny of her three older children, in order to protect Gabriel (Laguardia) the youngest one. She believes Gabriel will climb the social structure and bring back the lost fortune to the family. But destiny has other plans for the Boteros and tragedy will overcome eventually. Based on the novel of Nobel Prize winner Naguib Mahfouz.

Release History & Theatrical Window

World Premiere

San Sebastián Film Festival

Festival / Special Debut

Key Information & Fast Facts

Director
Arturo Ripstein
Screenplay & Story
Paz Alicia Garciadiego, Naguib Mahfouz
Original Score
Lucía Álvarez
Original Title
Principio y fin
Country of Origin
Mexico
Spoken Languages
Spanish
Runtime
3h 7m
Production Studios
Alameda Films, Instituto Mexicano de Cinematografía

Creative Leadership & Key Crew

Director

Arturo Ripstein

Screenplay & Story

Paz Alicia Garciadiego, Naguib Mahfouz

Original Score & Music

Lucía Álvarez

Director of Photography

Claudio Rocha

Film Editing

Rafael Castanedo

Producers

Alfredo Ripstein Jr., Arturo Ripstein

Literary Origin & Source Material
Novel:Naguib Mahfouz

Department Leadership Roster

Alfredo Ripstein Jr.

Alfredo Ripstein Jr.

Producer

Rafael Castanedo

Rafael Castanedo

Editor

Arturo Ripstein

Arturo Ripstein

Producer

Arturo Ripstein

Arturo Ripstein

Director

Paz Alicia Garciadiego

Paz Alicia Garciadiego

Writer

Claudio Rocha

Director of Photography

Lucía Álvarez

Lucía Álvarez

Original Music Composer

Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Beginning and the End.

Featured In Curated Collections

Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Beginning and the End.

Latin American Cinema

Auto-generated by festival-lists — do not edit by hand.

202 titles

Top Titles from Mexico - IMDb

1169 titles

CINE Latinoamericano

267 titles

Similar Titles to The Beginning and the End

Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling

  • 5.8
  • 6.2
  • 7.6
  • 7.1
  • 5.8
  • 7.3
  • 5.8
  • 6.0
  • 8.2
  • 7.2
  • 4.9
  • 6.8
  • 7.1

More Like The Beginning and the End

Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.

6.5
7.1
6.6
7.4
6.1
7.9
6.3
6.4
5.9
6.4
6.6
6.5

Frequently Asked Questions About The Beginning and the End

Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.

What is The Beginning and the End about?

The film tells the story of the Boteros, a middle-class Mexican family struggling against poverty after their father's death. Ignacia (Egurrola) is the Boteros mother, a desperate woman who chooses to sacrifice the destiny of her three older children, in order to protect Gabriel (Laguardia) the youngest one. She believes Gabriel will climb the social structure and bring back the lost fortune to the family. But destiny has other plans for the Boteros and tragedy will overcome eventually. Based on the novel of Nobel Prize winner Naguib Mahfouz.

Who directed The Beginning and the End?

The Beginning and the End was directed by Arturo Ripstein.

Who stars in The Beginning and the End?

The principal cast of The Beginning and the End includes Julieta Egurrola, Ernesto Laguardia, Bruno Bichir, Lucía Muñoz, Alberto Estrella.

When was The Beginning and the End released and how long is it?

The Beginning and the End was released in 1994 with a total runtime of 3h 7m.

Who composed the musical score for The Beginning and the End?

The original motion picture soundtrack for The Beginning and the End was composed by Lucía Álvarez.

Is The Beginning and the End based on a book or true story?

The Beginning and the End is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Naguib Mahfouz".