Person Biography:
Born in Madrid, Spain in 1950, the subject's childhood was shaped by the republican values of his family, who opposed the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, winner of the Spanish Civil War. He spent his formative years in schools run by republican teachers, where he received a liberal education. In the 1970s, he earned a degree in history and went on to work as a literary critic for several years. His interest in cinema led him to write screenplays, some of which were adapted into films in the mid-1980s. These thrillers featured strong female characters and earned him nominations for best original screenplay from the Spanish Academy.
In the 1990s, he gained recognition as a screenwriter and received support from actress Victoria Abril, which enabled him to direct his first film, "Nadie hablará de nosotras cuando hayamos muerto". The movie became a massive hit in Spanish cinema upon its release in 1995 and won several awards at the Festival de San Sebastian, including best actress. It also received eight awards from the Spanish Academy, including best film, best new director, and best actress. The film's dark and violent storyline, inspired by filmmakers like Martin Scorsese and Paul Schrader, left audiences and critics stunned.
Despite the success of his first film, it took him several years to produce his next project, "Madrid Sur", a science-fiction movie set in the capital of Spain, but he was unable to bring it to fruition due to financial issues.
In 2001, he released his second film, "Sin noticias de Dios", a fantasy comedy that received 11 nominations from the Spanish Academy, including best picture and director, but failed to meet the expectations of fans of his first movie.
In March 2006, he began working on his third film, "Capitán Alatriste", an adaptation of Arturo Perez Reverte's bestselling novel. Starring Viggo Mortensen, the movie tells the story of Alatriste, a pessimistic Spanish soldier who must survive in the dangerous and decadent Spain of the 17th century.
