One of the most original figures in European cinema, José Luis Guerín has built a body of work marked by the exploration of the boundaries between reality and fiction, memory and the present, urban space and human experience. Born in Barcelona in 1960, his work has been presented at festivals including Venice, Cannes, Berlin, San Sebastián, Locarno, Rotterdam and Tokyo. Retrospectives of his work have also been held by festivals and cultural institutions such as the Centre Georges Pompidou and the Harvard Film Archive. With a keen eye for transitional spaces, everyday gestures and stories that often remain outside the spotlight, he has directed films such as Tren de sombras (1997), En construcción (2001), En la ciudad de Sylvia (2007), La academia de las musas (2015) and Historias del buen valle (2025). He has received the National Cinematography Prize.

Photograph: Óscar Fernández Orengo.