Costa-Gavras and Álex de la Iglesia, Luis Buñuel Awards at the Huesca Festival

Both films propose a vision of reality focused on the problems of society, which travels from the great conflicts of the second half of the 20th century, in the case of Gavras, to everyday life in the case of De la Iglesia.

The 45th Huesca International Film Festival wanted to recognize on this occasion the career of two of the most outstanding directors of current European cinema. Both have been very honored by the award and have expressed their pride both in being recognized by the Festival and in bearing the name of Luis Buñuel. Both films propose a vision of reality focused on the problems of society, which travels from the great conflicts of the second half of the 20th century, in the case of Gavras, to everyday life in the case of De la Iglesia.

On its 45th anniversary, the Huesca International Film Festival pays tribute to Costa-Gavras and Alex de la Iglesia, who receive recognition in the Alto Aragonese capital for their entire career and filmographies. Azucena Garanto, director of the Festival, expressed at a press conference the pride that the Alto Aragonese contest represents “to have two such important men in the history of cinema, both coming in some way from the world of short films, the essence of this Festival.”

Both filmmakers have expressed themselves honored by the award. Costa-Gavras recognized that receiving an award named after one of the greatest in cinema was quite an honor. For his part, Álex de Iglesia demonstrated his deep admiration for the Franco-Greek filmmaker. "Having the opportunity to meet the maestro is an honor, a pride, it is a privilege for me to be here. He represents a unique type of cinema, one that we will have a hard time imitating, that is impossible to repeat," declared the Bilbao director.

De la Iglesia pointed out the need for more directors who, like Costa-Gavras, explain how the world works: “We are all scared by the world we find ourselves in and thanks to the master's films that is understandable to us.” In a review of his career, the French director remembered Jack Lemon. How he aroused the surprise of his producers when he was proposed by Gavras to star in Missing because he was an actor more linked to comedy. Because of Lemon's own involvement in the film, accepting the script just two days after receiving it. It was this that made him discover "that in a film things could be said in a different way. The actors are the ones who truly tell the story to the viewer."

Gavras stated that he does not make a political or academic speech. "I think we make a show but with the problems of society. The role of cinema is that."

Álex de la Iglesia, supporting what Costa-Gavras said, argued that if more films like that of the Franco-Greek director are not made, it is because “we are not brave enough.”

The names of Costa-Gavras and Alex de la Iglesia thus join a long list of winners that includes icons such as José Luis Borau, Stephen Frears, Bertrand Tavernier, Carlos Saura, Aki Kaurismaki, the brothers Vittorio and Apolo Taviani, Ángela Molina or last year Jean Claude Carrière, double Oscar winner and Buñuel's own screenwriter who in turn has worked with Gavras himself. Alex de la Iglesia also has a direct relationship with the Calanda teacher since in his latest work, El bar, he pays tribute to The exterminating angel.

A particular social perspective

Konstantinos Gavras (Loutra-Iraias -Greece-, 1933) moved to Paris at the beginning of the 1950s. The success in France and the United States of his first feature film, The Rails of Crime (1965), helped him carry out his following projects, such as Z, which would earn him the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Editing, the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film, the Jury Prize and Best Actor at the Cannes Festival, in addition to several BAFTA Award nominations, winning Best Music, among others.

Already in the seventies it rolls The Confession y Siege status, with which Costa Gavras will establish himself as a committed filmmaker and endows his films with not only a social but also a political consciousness; Both films obtained unanimous support from critics and were nominated for the Golden Globe for best foreign film. Starting in the 80s, there would come Missing, with which he would win the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Festival and the Oscar Award; Clair de femme con Romy Schneider e Yves Montand, Hannah K with Jill Clayburgh and Jean Yanne, family council with Fanny Ardant and Remi Martin, The path of betrayal with Debra Winger and Tom Berenger, or The music box with Jessica Lange and Armin Mueller-Stahl.

His last job behind the cameras would be in Capital, a film that explores a topic as current as the instability and corruption of the financial system and that competed for the Golden Shell at the San Sebastián Festival.

Icon of current Spanish cinema

Álex de la Iglesia (Bilbao, 1965) began his career in the cinematographic world with the short film Mirindas Assassinas, a film with which the Bilbao director sought to highlight the disinterest of some people in what is happening around them. His first film Mutant Action, becomes the winner of three Goya Awards. The day of the beast (1995) would be the film with which Álex de la Iglesia would establish himself as one of the most relevant directors of contemporary Spanish cinema, achieving a total of six Goyas. His following works consolidated his position: Perdita Duranto, Dead laughing, The Community y 800 replies.

Then they would arrive perfect crime y The Oxford Murders, with Elijah Wood, Leonor Watling and John Hurt. In 2010 he received the National Cinematography Award and between 2009 and 2011 he was president of the Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences of Spain. His last work, The Bar, has a great choral cast that brings together several generations of Spanish cinema; It was presented at the Berlinale and was in charge of opening the latest edition of the Malaga Film Festival.

With a multidisciplinary profile that has led him to direct sketches for television, series or write novels Clowns in the washing machine or more recently Remind me to hate you; De la Iglesia has satire, black humor and science fiction as its most identifying features, along with the story of the most characteristic everyday life of Spanish society. Furthermore, in his films Álex de la Iglesia uses a cast of fetish actresses and actors, such as the already named Terele Pávez, Carmen Maura, Segura himself, Manuel Tallafé, Antonio de la Torre or the late Álex Angulo.