The cinema says goodbye to José Luis Cuerda, a true genius of the absurd

El director de ‘Amanece que no es poco’, ‘El bosque animado’, ‘La marrana’, ‘La lengua de las mariposas’ ha marcado a varias generaciones de cineastas en las últimas décadas.

The Spanish director, screenwriter and producer Jose Luis Cuerda ha fallecido este lunes a los 72 años tras sufrir una embolia en el Hospital de la Princesa de Madrid.

Cuerda fue un auténtico maestro del cine español, autor de películas imprescindibles como It dawns that it is not little, The animated forest, The Marrana o The language of butterflies. In his films Cuerda carefully cultivated his own lustrous imaginaries that have already become part of the collective imagination.

Born in Albacete in 1947, the director, screenwriter and producer José Luis Cuerda began in the audiovisual world as a technician in Spanish Television; Various cultural programs are developed and directed there, but it will be in 1977 when he makes the leap into fiction with The Tunnel y Bad Streak, for this last work he is also in charge of the script. In 1982 he made and wrote his first feature film: Evens and nones, which place it within the current known as “Madrid comedy.”

One of the hallmarks of his filmography is the absurd humor, something that is evident in his following work: The animated forest (winner of five Goya Awards, including best film). Behind her titles as notable as The sow, As in heaven as on earth, The tongue of the butterflies (for which he received an Ondas Award), The education of fairies o blind sunflowers, among others. A succession of titles that elevate him as a reference in Spanish cinematography.

In the television field, he makes various productions, among which the direction of the second season of the popular series stands out. Razors, starring actor Pepe Rubianes.

In addition to his role as director and screenwriter, his work as a producer stands out. Jose Luis He was one of the first to see and trust in the talent of Alejandro Amenábar, so much so that he produced his first three films: Thesis, Open your eyes y The others.

His most recent work dates back to 2018 and is the feature film Time after, the spiritual sequel to Dawn, which is not little.

Last October, Cuerda compiled many of the facets of his life, his desires and stimuli in the field of creation in the book Memories fried, but not stirred (Nuggets Ed.).

After hearing the news of his death, Alejandro Amenábar, has recognized that “José Luis was my father in the cinema and my second father in life. Even a moral reference. I started in this because of him and he started in film production with me.”

Andreu Buenafuente He wrote on Twitter: "an honor to have rowed with friends so you could make your last movie. You were not old. You were a giant and we learned from you. Another thing is that we know how to apply it. I will always remember you."

For its part, Antonio Banderas, has assured that “dIn his hand we saw the brightest dawn of our cinema. Today a great teacher and a great inspiration leaves us.”

The President of the Government, Pedro Sanchez, on its official Twitter account, has also expressed its regret by stating that “the Spanish cinema cannot be understood without Jose Luis Cuerda. With his particular look, his surreal humor and a special way of moving us, he became essential, much more than necessary. Sad news about the death of someone who has made us happier, more free. Thank you, teacher.”