Carlos Saura: A Multitalented Film Director and Artist
Born with a passion for music and art, Spanish director Carlos Saura's interest in cinema began at a young age. His mother, a pianist, instilled in him a love for music, while his brother, Antonio, a painter, sparked his passion for art. As a teenager, Saura started practicing photography and went on to create his first illustrated feature films using a 16 mm camera in 1950.
Combining his passion for photography, cinema, and journalism, Saura left his studies in Industrial Engineering to pursue a degree in cinematography at the Instituto de Investigaciones y Estudios Cinematográficos. He also took courses at the Escuela de Periodismo, finishing his studies in 1957 and earning a director's diploma. Saura's end-of-career short film, La tarde del domingo (1957),was completed around the same time.
As a professor, Saura continued to work until 1963, when he was removed from the school due to political reasons. This setback did not deter him from pursuing his passion for filmmaking. In 1959, he began working on his first feature film, The Delinquents (1960),which aimed to create a form of Spanish Neo-Realism by exploring juvenile delinquency in Madrid's poor quarters from a sociological perspective.
Throughout his career, Saura has been recognized for his work, both nationally and internationally. He has won numerous awards, including the Silver Bear at the Berlin Festival for The Hunt (1966) and Peppermint Frappé (1967),as well as Special Jury Awards in Cannes for Cousin Angelica (1974) and Cría Cuervos (1976). Mama Turns 100 (1979) received an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Film and won the Special Jury Award at the San Sebastian Festival. In 1990, Saura won two Goya awards for Best Adapted Screenplay Writer and Best Director.
