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Spanish filmmaker (born 1976)
Antonio Méndez Esparza
Born (1976-01-07 ) January 7, 1976 (age 48) Madrid, Spain
Years active 2006–present
Antonio Méndez Esparza (Spanish:
[anˈtonjo ˈmendeθ esˈpaɾθa] ; born 7 January 1976
[1] ) is a Spanish filmmaker based in the United States. He teaches at the
Florida State University College of Motion Picture Arts .
Life and career
Méndez Esparza was born in Madrid, where he obtained a law degree. He studied filmmaking at the
University of California, Los Angeles , and at
Columbia University , where he received an
MFA .
[2]
His 2009 short film Time and Again (Una y otra vez ) won the narrative short prize at the
Los Angeles Film Festival
[3] and earned him a Latino filmmaker prize at the
Directors Guild of America 's Student Film Awards.
[4] His first feature,
Aquí y allá , premiered in the
Critics' Week at the
2012 Cannes Film Festival and won the section's Grand Prize.
[5] The film also received a special mention at the 2012
AFI Fest
[6] and earned him a nomination for the
Gotham Award for Breakthrough Director .
[7] Both films depict experiences of Mexican migrants to the United States with non-professional actors.
[8]
His second feature,
Life and Nothing More , premiered at the
2017 Toronto International Film Festival and won the
John Cassavetes Award at the
Independent Spirit Awards .
[9] Shot in
Tallahassee with a small crew and non-professional actors, the film depicts a struggling African-American family in Florida.
[10]
[11]
[12]
His third feature and first documentary, Courtroom 3H , premiered in competition at the 2020
San Sebastián International Film Festival .
[13] The film documents proceedings in a Tallahassee family court presided by a judge with whom Méndez Esparza became acquainted while making Life and Nothing More .
[14]
[15]
In 2022, he directed the comedy thriller
Something Is About to Happen , which he co-wrote with
Clara Roquet based on the novel Que nadie duerma by
Juan José Millás , in Spain.
[16]
[17]
Filmography
References
^
"Antonio Méndez Esparza" . La Semaine de la Critique . Retrieved June 8, 2022 .
^ López Pérez, José (February 28, 2013).
"Entrevista a Antonio Méndez Esparza, director de la película "Aquí y Allá" " . No Sólo Cine . Retrieved June 8, 2022 .
^ McNary, Dave (June 28, 2009).
" 'Soraya' soars at L.A. fest" . Variety . Retrieved June 8, 2022 .
^ McNary, Dave (November 15, 2009).
"UCLA wins big at DGA student awards" . Variety . Retrieved June 8, 2022 .
^ Szalai, George (May 24, 2012).
"Cannes 2012: Critics' Week Gives Main Award to 'Aqui y Alla' " . The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved June 8, 2022 .
^ Olsen, Mark (November 8, 2012).
"AFI Fest 2012: Swedish film 'Eat Sleep Die' wins grand jury prize" .
Los Angeles Times . Retrieved June 8, 2022 .
^ Fleming, Mike Jr (November 26, 2012).
" 'Moonrise Kingdom' Wins IFP Gotham Award For Best Picture" . Deadline . Retrieved June 8, 2022 .
^ Brennan, Billy (December 21, 2012).
"Five Questions with Aquí y Allá Director Antonio Méndez Esparza" . Filmmaker Magazine . Retrieved June 8, 2022 .
^ Earl, William (March 3, 2018).
"2018 Independent Spirit Awards Full Winners List: 'Get Out,' Jordan Peele Win Top Honors" . IndieWire . Retrieved June 8, 2022 .
^ Rivera, Alfonso (September 28, 2017).
"Review: Life and Nothing More " . Cineuropa . Retrieved June 8, 2022 .
^ Obenson, Tambay (November 9, 2018).
" 'Life and Nothing More': How a Spanish-Born Filmmaker Made a Sensitive Portrait of a Working Class African American Life" . IndieWire . Retrieved June 8, 2022 .
^
"Antonio Méndez Esparza" . Sundance Collab . Retrieved June 8, 2022 .
^ Aftab, Kaleem (September 22, 2020).
" 'Life and Nothing More's' Antonio Méndez Esparza on San Sebastian Competition Player 'Courtroom 3H' " . Variety . Retrieved June 8, 2022 .
^ Rivera, Alfonso (December 12, 2019).
"Antonio Méndez Esparza shooting Courtroom 3H " . Cineuropa . Retrieved June 8, 2022 .
^ Cabeza, Elisabet (September 24, 2020).
"Antonio Méndez Esparza talks about the making of documentary 'Courtroom 3H' " . Screen Daily . Retrieved June 8, 2022 .
^ Mayorga, Emilio (November 18, 2020).
"Spain's Wanda Films Boards Antonio Mendez Esparza's Comedy Thriller 'Madrid Is It' (EXCLUSIVE)" . Variety . Retrieved June 8, 2022 .
^ Rivera, Alfonso (April 12, 2022).
"Antonio Méndez Esparza finishes filming Que nadie duerma " . Cineuropa . Retrieved June 8, 2022 .
External links
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