Spanish director Carlos Saura dies aged 91

Spanish director Carlos Saura, who died on Friday, hit the global spotlight in the 1960s with critiques of Franco's dictatorship, later focusing on films about music and dance, notably flamenco and tango.

Spanish film director and photographer Carlos Saura. © AFP - Lionel Bonaventure

Often referred to as a giant of Spanish cinema alongside Luis Bunuel and Pedro Almodovar, Saura made about 50 films over a career spanning five decades, during which he received numerous awards.

"He died today at his home at the age of 91, surrounded by his loved ones," the academy wrote on Twitter, describing him as "one of the most important filmmakers in the history of Spanish cinema".

He was known for his "neverending activity" and "love for his craft, which continued until the end," with his latest film hitting Spanish cinemas just a week ago, it said.

La Academia de Cine lamenta profundamente comunicar el fallecimiento de Carlos Saura, Goya de Honor 2023. Saura, uno de los cineastas fundamentales de la historia del cine español, ha muerto hoy en su domicilio a los 91 años, rodeado de sus seres queridos. pic.twitter.com/VJMJZYnzm7

— Academia de Cine (@Academiadecine) February 10, 2023

Carlos Saura was born on 4 January, 1932 in the northeastern town of Huesca to a family of artists: his mother was a pianist and his brother, Antonio, would become a well-known painter.

In his youth, he developed a love of photography before following cinema studies.

He first won international recognition with The Hunt (1966), his critique of the regime of dictator Franco which won the Silver Bear, the second-highest award at the Berlin Film Festival.

He then went on to direct Peppermint Frappe (1967), a study of Spain's middle-class being caught between the past and present, which earned him the same award in Berlin the following year.

To get round the regime's censorship, Saura used metaphors and symbolism, attacking pillars of the dictatorship such as the church, the army and family in films such as The Garden of Delights (1970) and Ana and the Wolves (1972).

Hoy en mi ventana brilla el sol
Y el corazón
Se pone triste contemplando la ciudad
Porque te vas...#CarlosSaura DEP

'Cría Cuervos', 1976. pic.twitter.com/i4nPnugVEi

— Hipsteria (@hipst_eria) February 10, 2023

His 1975 film Cria Cuervos (Raise Ravens) – about a little girl who survives stifling circumstances, similar to a dictatorship, by inventing a fantasy world – won the Cannes Film Festival's Jury Prize in 1976, which he had previously won with his 1974 drama Cousin Angelica.

He won the Berlin Film Festival's top prize, the Golden Bear, for Deprisa, deprisa (Faster, Faster), a 1981 film about juvenile delinquents.

Flamenco trilogy

After Franco's death in 1975 and Spain's transition towards democracy, Saura shifted focus to his love of music and dance with productions focused on tango, Argentinian folklore, opera and above all flamenco.

He is best known for his 1980s trilogy of flamenco films Blood Wedding, Carmen and A Love Bewitched.

He followed in the 1990s with Sevillanas, Flamenco and Tango, the latter nominated for the best foreign language Oscar in 1999.

Saura also directed the official film for the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 Marathon.

(with AFP)