Spanish filmmaker Carlos Saura died on Friday, February 10 at the age of 91, the Spanish Academy of Cinema announced. The latter hailed "one of the fundamental filmmakers in the history of Spanish cinema."
"His last film, Las paredes hablan, was released on Friday, proof of his tireless activity and his love for his profession until his last moments," the Academy said. The filmmaker was to receive an honorary Goya on Saturday in Seville. A strong tribute was paid to "the memory of an irreplaceable creator" during the 37th Spanish Cinema Awards ceremony (our edition of the day).
“Carlos Saura is leaving us, a fundamental figure in Spanish culture,” responded Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. “His talent is and will always be part of the cultural heritage of our history thanks to unforgettable films like ¡Ay, Carmela! or Cousin Angelica. We say goodbye to the director of the imagination, but his cinema remains,” added the socialist leader.
On Twitter, the Minister of Culture, Miquel Iceta, praised this "filmmaker, photographer, total artist... he had received all the prizes imaginable during his career and above all the affection and recognition of all those who appreciated his movies."
“With Carlos Saura, an oh so important part of the history of Spanish cinema is dying. He leaves behind him an indispensable work for deep reflection on the behavior of human beings. Rest in peace my friend,” responded actor Antonio Banderas.
Director in 1975 of Cría cuervos, an allegory of the dictatorship which asphyxiated his country, jury prize at Cannes and nominated for the César for best foreign film, Carlos Saura first placed his work under the sign of social realism before favoring musical films, especially on flamenco.
Born on January 4, 1932 in Huesca (northern Spain) into a family of artists, Carlos Saura, who has made a total of fifty films, obtained his first international recognition in 1966 in Berlin (Silver Bear for La Chasse). Prolific, he was a filmmaker of the game and the imagination, with a sophisticated aesthetic, a style that was both lyrical and documentary, centered on the fate of the most disadvantaged. He often depicted characters from the bourgeoisie, tormented by their past, floating between reality and fantasy.