Born in Veracruz, Mexico in 1969, a graduate from the prestigious Center for Studies in Communication Sciences, followed by a degree from the University Center for Cinematographic Studies (CUEC) of the National Autonomous University of Mexico.
In 2007, his inaugural feature film, Blue Eyelids, gained international recognition by being nominated for the Caméra d'Or at the 60th Cannes Film Festival, as part of the official selection of the International Critics' Week.
Blue Eyelids went on to participate in numerous film festivals, earning a plethora of accolades, including the Best Ibero-American Film, Best Screenplay, and the Mezcal Award at the 22nd Guadalajara International Film Festival, as well as the Ariel for Best First Feature and the Special Jury Award at Sundance and Miami Film Festivals in 2008.
In 2010, his feature documentary Being: Café Tacvba premiered, commemorating the 20th anniversary of Mexico's most influential rock band.
Four years later, his third feature film, The Obscure Spring, hit theaters, winning the Grand Jury Prize for Best Film and the Grand Jury Prize for Best Performance at the 32nd Miami International Film Festival. The film also garnered three Ariel awards for editing, music, and sound, and was nominated in seven additional categories by the Mexican Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences.
In 2016, Contreras directed the episode "Eroticism" for the feature film Tales of Mexico, produced by Machete Producciones, starring the renowned actress Irène Jacob.
His latest film, I Dream in Another Language, a project supported by the Sundance Institute / Mahindra Global Filmmaking Award and the National System of Creators, received the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival in 2017.
Alongside his filmmaking endeavors, Contreras has held the position of General Director for documentary series at NatGeo and HBO.
