Spanish film director born in Madrid. Graduated in Law, he never practiced as a lawyer. He later studied for two years at the Escuela Oficial de Cinematografía and worked as a film critic for the magazine Film Ideal while making several short films in super-8. His first solo feature film was Los viajes escolares (1974). In 1976 he released El desencanto, a biographical documentary about the poet Leopoldo Panero. The film was awarded the Best Film Award by the Círculo de Escritores Cinematográficos. A un dios desconocido (1977) starred Héctor Alterio and its script was written by Elías Querejeta. It was followed by Dedicatoria (1980) and Bearn o la sala de las muñecas (1983), starring Fernando Rey, Imanol Arias and Ángela Molina. One of his most recognized works is Las bicicletas son para el verano (1984), based on a play by Fernando Fernán Gómez. The film, starring Agustín González, Victoria Abril, Marisa Paredes and Gabino Diego, is set during the Spanish Civil War. El río de oro (1986) stars Ángela Molina. It is followed by Las cosas del querer (1989), in whose script Fernando Colomo participated. Tierno verano de lujurias y azoteas (1992) is a comedy starring Gabino Diego, Marisa Paredes and Imanol Arias. In 1994 he directed the sequel to Las cosas del querer with the same actors. A year later he released Gran Slalom (1996), with a script by Rafael Azcona. The film stars Juanjo Puigcorbé and Pilar Bardem, among others. The following year he directed a Spanish-Argentine co-production entitled Sus ojos se cerraron y el mundo sigue andando (1997). In 2002 he directed Besos para todos, starring Emma Suárez and Eloy Azorín and in 2004 El año del diluvio, an adaptation of the novel by Eduardo Mendoza. His latest feature film was Camarón (2005), for which he co-wrote the script with Álvaro del Amo. The film is based on the biography of the flamenco singer José Monje Cruz, Camarón de la Isla, who is given life by the actor Óscar Jaenada in a splendid characterization. The film won three Goya awards for Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling and Best Leading Actor.

Filmography

• 2025She Walks in Darkness — Txiki el Viejo
• 2023Cerré los ojos y me hablaron las hormigas — Julio
• 2023La casa de los retratos
• 2023La manzana de oro — Director, Writer
• 2021FOMO — Thanks
• 2019Cuento Chino — Paco
• 2015The Apostate — Padre Quirós
• 2010Un cine como tú en un país como éste
• 2008Vampyros Lesbos — Story
• 2005Camarón: When Flamenco Became Legend — Director, Writer
• 2005Madrid 11-M: todos íbamos en ese tren — Director
• 2004El año del diluvio — Director, Writer
• 2003Howard Hawks, San Sebastián 1972
• 2000Kisses for Everyone — Director
• 1998Arrebatos
• 1998Tangos Are for Two — Director, Additional Writing
• 1996Gran Slalom — Director
• 1996Sombras y luces: Cien años de cine español
• 1995The Things of Love: Part 2 — Director
• 1994After All These Years — Thanks
• 1994La mujer duende — Director
• 1993La intrusa — Director
• 1993Marathon — Assistant Director
• 1993Tierno verano de lujurias y azoteas — Director, Writer
• 1989I'm the One You're Looking For — Director, Writer
• 1989The Things of Love — Writer, Director
• 1987The Impeccable Sinner — El cura
• 1986El río de oro — Writer, Director
• 1986Matador — Priest
• Softly from Paris — Director
• 1985Tatuaje — Director
• 1984Bicycles Are for the Summer — Director
• 1984What Have I Done to Deserve This? — Cliente 'Striptease'
• 1983Bearn — Director
• 1982Luis y Virginia — Director, Writer
• 1981Cuentos para una escapada — Director, Writer
• 1981National Heritage
• 1980Dedicated to... — Director, Writer
• 1980Erotic Stories — Exhibicionista, Director, Writer
• 1978What's a Girl Like You Doing in a Place Like This? — Writer
• 1977To an Unknown God — Director, Screenplay
• 1976School Trip — Director, Writer
• 1976The Disenchantment — Director
• 1974A flor de piel (C)
• 1973A Chaste Spanish Man — Art Direction
• 1973Anna and the Wolves — Art Direction
• 1973The Spirit of the Beehive — Art Direction
• 1971Cake of Blood — Henry Clerval (segment "Victor Frankenstein"), Director, Screenplay
• 1971El camino del cielo — Editor
• 1971Vampyros Lesbos — Screenplay
• 1970Estado de sitio — Director, Writer
• 1970Ginebra en los infiernos — Director, Screenplay, Editor, Director of Photography
• 1969El gran amante — Screenplay, Director
• 1969Un, dos, tres, al escondite inglés — Spot Producer (uncredited), Writer
• 1968Ida y vuelta
• 1967Run, Blancanieves, Run — Director, Screenplay

Appearances as themselves (7)

• 2025The Last Rapture — Self
• 2021Berlanga!! — Self - Filmmaker
• 2019Aute retrato — Himself
• 2013Writing Heads — Self
• 201224 horas en la vida de Querejeta — Self
• 2010All Night Long — Self
• Lo + plus — Self - Guest