Jaume Balagueró
Balagueró at the Gaudí Awards in 2021
Born
Jaume Balagueró Bernat

(1968-11-02) 2 November 1968
Lleida, Catalonia, Spain
Occupation(s)film director and screenwriter

Jaume Balagueró Bernat (Catalan pronunciation: [ˈʒawmə bələɣəˈɾo bəɾˈnat]; born 2 November 1968) is a Spanish film director widely known for his horror films, most notably the acclaimed REC series.

Early life

Balagueró was born in Lleida, Spain, and grew up in Barcelona. He studied communications and photography at the University of Barcelona, graduating in 1991 with a degree in communication sciences. In 1992, Balagueró began work as a film journalist and radio host with the show “La espuma de los días” on Radio Hospitalet.

Career

In 1994, Balagueró graduated to shooting on 35mm with the short film Alicia (1994). The film won the prize for Best Short film at the Sitges Film Festival. Balagueró returned with the short Days without Light (1995), which achieved similar success on the festival circuit.

Balagueró made his feature-length film debut with The Nameless (1999). Based on the novel by Ramsey Campbell, the film appeared at festivals worldwide, winning several awards including Best Film at the Fant-Asia Film Festival. He returned three years later with Darkness (2002). The film marked Balagueró's English-language debut, and was picked up by Miramax Studios, which released a heavily truncated version in US theaters in December 2004. 2005 saw the release of Balagueró's third film, the ghost story Fragile (2005) starring Calista Flockhart and Richard Roxburgh. Also in 2002, Balagueró co-directed the rock music documentary OT: la película (2002).

In 2006, Balagueró participated in the TV project Películas para no dormir (6 Films to Keep You Awake), directing the fourth film in the series To Let, with Nuria González.[1][2][3] A revival of Narciso Ibañez Serrador's macabre TV series Historias Para No Dormir (aka Tales to Keep You Awake, 1966–67 with a brief resurrection in 1982), Películas consisted of six horror-themed episodes directed by several notable horror directors from Catalonia and other parts of Spain, including Álex de la Iglesia and Mateo Gil. Balagueró began work on REC (2007), his fourth theatrical feature, in early 2007[4] and planned his third movie of the REC franchise.[5] He directed the thriller Sleep Tight,[6] which stars Luis Tosar.[7] Balagueró directed REC 4: Apocalypse[8] and co-wrote along Manu Díez the screenplay, of the film.[9] He also wrote the screenbook of REC 3: Genesis.[10]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Director Writer Notes
1999 The Nameless Yes Yes Also associate producer
2002 O.T: La Película Yes No Documentary film
Co-directed with Paco Plaza
Darkness Yes Yes
2005 Fragile Yes No
2007 REC Yes Yes Co-directed with Paco Plaza
2009 REC 2 Yes Yes
2011 Sleep Tight Yes No
2014 REC 4: Apocalypse Yes Yes
2016 Inside No Yes
2017 Muse Yes Yes
2021 The Vault Yes No
2022 Venus Yes Yes

Producer only

Year Title Notes
2012 REC 3: Genesis Creative producer
2015 Summer Camp Executive producer

Short film

Year Title Director Writer Notes
1994 Alícia Yes Yes
1995 Días sin luz Yes Yes Also editor
2010 Fear Yes Yes
2007 Sr. Rosso Yes No Also producer
2014 Inquilinos Yes Yes
2021 Unboxing Ibai Yes Yes

Televisión

Year Title Director Writer Notes
1997 Novía Ficció Yes Yes Episode "La Ciutat de la Sort"
2006 To Let Yes Yes TV movie
2011 Slavados Yes No Episode Short film director
2022 Historias para no dormir Yes No Episode "El Telvisor"

Awards

  • 2007 – Best director in the Festival de Cinema Fantàstic de Sitges for REC.
  • 1999 – Best European film in the Festival de Cinema Fantàstic de Sitges for The Nameless.
  • 1994 – Best shortcut in the Festival de Cinema Fantàstic de Sitges for Alicia.

References

  1. ↑ "To Let (Movie Review) | Bloody Good Horror".
  2. ↑ WTF feature on Kermode and Mayo's Film Review: Christmas Eve 2021, broadcast on BBC Radio 5 Live on 24 December 2021
  3. ↑ "BBC Radio 5 live - Kermode and Mayo's Film Review, Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Ann Moss, the Matrix Resurrections, the King's Man, Titane and Licorice Pizza".
  4. ↑ Miska, Brad (6 October 2009). "Third 'REC' Teased After Successful Box Office Weekend". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  5. ↑ Uncle Creepy (12 June 2009). "Exclusive First Info: Jaume Balagueró Talks REC 3 – Will Return to Direct Third Film!". Dread Central. Archived from the original on 8 December 2009. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  6. ↑ Miska, Brad (3 May 2010). "Jaume Balagueró's 'Flatmate' Finds Its First Roomie". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  7. ↑ Uncle Creepy (5 February 2010). "Luís Tosar To Become Jaume Balagueró's First Flatmate". Dread Central. Archived from the original on 30 July 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  8. ↑ Miska, Brad (3 May 2010). "Spanish-language Thriller 'Flatmate' Retitled to 'Sleep Tight'". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  9. ↑ Barton, Steve (22 December 2014). "Rec 4: Apocalypse Available on Amazon Instant NOW". Dread Central. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  10. ↑ Miska, Brad (3 May 2010). "'Rec' Directors Return for Not One, But TWO Sequels!!!". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
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