Juanma Bajo Ulloa, a renowned filmmaker, was born in Vitoria, a small town in northern Spain, where he has primarily set many of his movies. From a young age, he was exposed to the audiovisual industry, as his family owned a popular magazine in Vitoria specializing in photography.
As a child, Juanma began making short films in super-8 with his younger brother Eduardo. They created numerous award-winning short films, including "Cruza la puerta" (1984),"El último payaso" (1985),"A quien pueda interesar" (1986),and "100 aviones de papel" (1987). These early works earned them a significant number of awards at various film festivals. Notably, some Spanish TV producers took notice of their work and offered them the opportunity to produce their next short film, "Akixo," shot in 16 mm.
In 1989, Juanma shot his first short film in 35 mm, "El reino de Victor," which won the Goya Award for Best Short Film from the Spanish Academy.
After two years of writing, Juanma produced and directed his first feature-length film, "Alas de mariposa," in 1991. The film premiered at the San Sebastián International Film Festival and won the top prize. It later received three Goya Awards, including Best First Film, Best Actress, and Best Original Screenplay. The film's shocking visual style and brutal portrayal of a troubled family garnered significant attention from the Spanish media and audience.
In 1993, Juanma directed his second film, "La madre muerta," which is considered by many to be his best work. The film won awards at various international festivals, including the Venice and Montreal film festivals.
Following the release of "La madre muerta," Juanma began directing music videos for prominent Spanish singers and groups, such as Joaquín Sabina, Barricada, and Golpes Bajos.
Juanma's third film, "Airbag," a high-octane action road movie, became the biggest Spanish box-office hit of all time upon its release in 1996. However, it disappointed some of his longtime fans who preferred the darkness of his earlier works.
Despite this success, Juanma has struggled to produce another film in the past eight years. He attempted to adapt the popular Spanish comic hero "Capitán Trueno" but was ultimately turned down by producers. Other projects failed to materialize due to creative differences with producers. During this time, Juanma made a living by working on music videos and commercials.
In 2004, Juanma secretly shot his fourth film, "Fragil," using his own funds. The film is scheduled for release in 2005.
