JANUARY 4

Spanish director, writer, producer, and actor Carlos Saura born January 4, 1932 is one of Spain’s most revered and respected film directors, beloved worldwide. Born in Huesca, Spain, the 89-year-old filmmaker has many notable works he is known for — Los Golfos, La Tarde del Olvido, Peppermint Frappé, The Hunt, and La Prima Angelica. 

In 1950, teenager Saura started making illustrated feature films with a 16mm camera. He hails from a family of great talents. His mother,  who was a pianist, instilled in him the love of music, and his brother Antonio, a painter, contributed a passion for art.

In 1979, Saura received an Academy Award Nomination for Best Foreign Language film for Mama Cumple 100 Años. In 2018, he directed Renzo Piano: An Architect for Santander, a documentary. 

Saura, along with Luis Buñuel and Pedro Almodovar, is considered among Spain’s most renowned filmmakers. His films have won many international awards. In 1990, he won two Goya awards as a best-adapted screenplay writer and best director. In total, he has garnered 55 film industry awards, including a BAFTA, and dozens of nominations. Stanley Kubrick was a deep admirer of Saura, overseeing the Spanish versions of A Clockwork Orange (1971), Barry London (1975), and The Shining (1980).

Saura is currently working on the film, Picasso, Dora y el Guernica, which he wrote and will direct and produce.

He has had a long relationship with the legendary actress Geraldine Chaplin (The Crown), who is the daughter of Charlie Chaplin. They have a son, Shane Saura. 

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