Biography: Alfredo Ripstein (Alfredo Ripstein Aronovich) (December 10, 1916, Parral, Chihuahua, Mexico — January 20, 2007, Mexico City) was a Mexican film producer of European-Jewish descent. He is credited with helping shape Mexico's film industry in the period surrounding World War II. Ripstein also helped start the careers of several contemporary Mexican actors such as Gael García Bernal and Salma Hayek.