Antonio Chavarrías (Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, 1956) is a Spanish filmmaker, screenwriter and film producer. Some of his most recognised films are Childish Games (2012),[1] showed at the 2012 Berlinale (2012),[2] Celia's Lives (2006),[3] exhibited at the San Sebastián International Film Festival, and You'll Be Back (2002),[4] which earned him a nomination for the Goya Awards for the Best Adapted Screenplay in 2002.

Antonio Chavarrías
Born1956 (age 67–68)
Occupation(s)Film director, screenwriter, producer
Years active1989-present
Websiteoberoncinematografica.com

Chavarrías has produced several films some of which have been exhibited and received award nominations at world-renowned festivals such as the Cannes Film Festival, the Rotterdam Film Festival, the Sundance Film Festival, and the Berlinale. In 1990, he founded his film production company, Oberon Cinematográfica.

As screenwriter and director

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Antonio Chavarrías is the scriptwriter and director of Childish Games (2012), a movie which was exhibited in the Official Section of the Berlin International Film Festival in 2012. The film stars Juan Diego Botto, Bárbara Lennie, Mágica Pérez and Nora Navas.

In 2006, he wrote and directed Celia's Lives, a drama which was shown in the Official Section of the San Sebastián International Film Festival (2006)[5] and in the Marrakech International Film Festival (2006).[6] The leading actors are: Najwa Nimri, Luis Tosar, Daniel Giménez Cacho, and Aida Folch.

Chavarrías is also the screenwriter and director of You'll be back (2002), based on Francisco Casavella's novel A Spanish Dwarf Commits Suicide in Las Vegas.[citation needed] The movie won the Award for Best Director in the Mar Del Plata Film Festival[7] and won the 2004 Ariel Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and was also nominated for the Goya Award for the Best Adapted Screenplay in 2003.[citation needed]

Some of his other prominent films include: Susanna (1996),[8] Manila (1991),[9] and A Shadow in the Garden (Una sombra en el jardin)(1989)[9] for which Chavarrías won several awards and was screened at many festivals.

In 2015 Chavarrías was preparing a new project: The Chosen, an historical thriller about the assassination of Leon Trotsky. It was scheduled to be filmed in Barcelona and Mexico an deals with the last ten years of Trotsky's life in Mexico. This new project is a co-production between Oberon Cinematográfica and Alebrije Cine y Video, film producer Mónica Lozano's company known for movies such as Instructions not included (2013)[10] or Amores Perros (Love's a Bitch) (2000).[11]

In 2023, he shot historical drama film The Abbess.[12]

As producer

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In 1990 Chavarrías founded his production company Oberon Cinematográfica which has produced over thirty films, both his own as well as films by other directors. Some of his production company's most recognised productions include:

The Milk of Sorrow (2009) by Claudia Llosa was nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 2010, and won the Golden Bear of Berlin in 2009,[13] and Madeinusa (2006) also by Llosa whose awards include the Grand Jury Award at the Sundance Film Festival.[14]

The Fear (2013) by Jordi Cadena won the Gaudí Award for Best Supporting Actor,[15] and his film Elisa K (2010) won the Special Jury Award at the San Sebástian International Film Festival in 2010.[16]

Marc Recha's movie Pau and His Brother (2001) was exhibited in the Official Section of the Cannes International Film Festival in 2001[17] and The Cherry Tree won the FIPRESCI Award at the Locarno International Film Festival in 1998.[18]

Chavarria's company also produced the Ariel Award winning Aro Tolbukhin. En la mente del asesino (2002) by Agustí Villaronga, Lydia Zimmermann and Isaac Pierre Racine.[19]

Other awards and recognition

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In 2012, the book Filmmakers of the Film Library of Catalonia was published dedicated to Chavarria's film career. The book was written by Elisabet Cabeza, a journalist and university professor specializing in cinema.[citation needed]

Antonio Chavarrías was vice president of the Spanish Academy of Arts and Cinematographic Sciences from 2000 to 2003.[citation needed]

You'll be Back was the winner of the Best Edition Award at the Barcelona Film Awards.[citation needed]

Susanna was an Official Section in the Brussels International Film Festival and winner of the Best Director Award at the Verona Film Festival.[citation needed]

Manila was winner of the Best Director of the Cinematography Award from the Government of Catalonia.[citation needed]

A Shadow in the Garden was the winner of the Best Director of the Cinematography Award from the Government of Catalonia and winner of the First Work Award at the Sant Jordi Awards.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ "Childish Games". Media Business Insight Limited. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  2. ^ "Childish Games: Berlin Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  3. ^ "Review: 'Celia's Lives'". Variety Media, LLC. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  4. ^ "Review: 'You'll Be Back'". Variety Media, LLC. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  5. ^ "Celia's Lives". Cineuropa. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  6. ^ "'Departed' opens Marrakech". Variety Media, LLC. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  7. ^ "18º Festival March 6th to 15th, 2003". Mar del Plata Film Festival. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  8. ^ Sandra Brennan (2016). "Susanna (1996)". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  9. ^ a b Jordan, Barry [ed.] (1998). Contemporary Spanish Cinema. Manchester University Press / Internet Archive. pp. 101. Retrieved 7 January 2016. manila antonio chavarrias. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  10. ^ "Cannes: Trotsky Thriller 'Chosen'". Variety Media, LLC. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  11. ^ "Amores Perros (Love's a Bitch)". Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  12. ^ "La película 'La Abadesa' ultima su rodaje en el castillo de Loarre". El Periódico de Aragón. Prensa Ibérica. 16 February 2023.
  13. ^ "The Milk of Sorrow". Reverse Shot. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  14. ^ "'The Female Gaze' Arrives Oct. 7". CyberPod and OnVideo. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  15. ^ "Highlights". OBERON CINEMATOGRÀFICA. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  16. ^ "2010. 58th Edition › Sections and Films › Official Selection › Elisa K". Festival Internacional de cine de Donostia-San Sebastián. Archived from the original on 10 September 2015. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  17. ^ "'Invisible,' 'Tabija,' 'The Darkness' Set For Cannes Atelier". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  18. ^ "FIPRESCI Awards". fipresci. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  19. ^ "51e Festival de Pollenca". Pollença Festiva. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
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