SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 18th March (EUROPA PRESS) –
Renowned filmmaker Juan Carlos Fresnadillo is set to deliver the keynote speech at the upcoming May Festival in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, as announced by the city’s mayor, José Manuel Bermúdez. The proclamation will be read on 18th April at 8:30 p.m. outside the San Carlos Barracks, situated near the Government Presidency plaza.
José Manuel Bermúdez praised Fresnadillo, hailing him as “a shining example of chicharrerismo, a steadfast advocate for the municipality’s interests, and a true ambassador for Santa Cruz.” The mayor emphasised, “He is a chicharrero artist who has truly earned his esteemed reputation. We have an internationally renowned director who transcends boundaries.”
On 5th March, Santa Cruz hosted the national premiere of Fresnadillo’s latest work, ‘Damsel’, a Netflix production that quickly rose to the number one spot on the platform within its debut weekend. The film, presented in English, has become the most-watched in 79 countries worldwide, including Spain.
Juan Carlos Fresnadillo was born in Santa Cruz de Tenerife in 1967 and relocated to Madrid from his hometown in 1985. He pursued Sociology at Complutense University and commenced his studies in photography and film at the TAI University School of Arts, where he crafted his initial short films. In 1987, he established a production company for a series of short films and commercials. Collaborating with Gustavo Fuertes, he assisted in the creation of the short film ‘The Final Judgment’.
In 1996, he made his directorial debut with ‘Esposados’. The 27-minute short garnered around 40 accolades globally and even earned an Oscar nomination in the Best Fiction Short Film category at the 1997 ceremony.
His first full-length feature, ‘Intacto’, premiered in 2001. The film secured eight Goya Award nominations, with wins in the categories of Best New Actor and Best New Director. ‘Intacto’ was also showcased at esteemed festivals such as Sundance, Cannes, and Toronto, receiving acclaim from audiences and critics worldwide.
From 2002 to 2005, Fresnadillo balanced his film projects with directing commercial adverts with the production house Lee Films and agencies like TAPSA.
In 2007, he released his second film, ’28 Weeks Later’, produced in collaboration with Danny Boyle and 20th Century Fox. The movie garnered praise from American reviewers, securing a high ranking at the US box office and international theatres. The positive reception led to the production of his subsequent film, ‘Intruders’ (2011), featuring Clive Owen. This film, a joint venture between Spain and the US, opened the San Sebastián International Film Festival and participated in various international events.
Since 2013, he has spearheaded two successful television series in the US – ‘Salvation’ (Netflix) and ‘Falling Water’ (Amazon) – which have been well-received internationally. Fresnadillo has also served as an executive producer for both series. In 2022, he commenced filming his latest project, ‘Damsel’, a medieval fantasy film starring Millie Bobby Brown, Angela Bassett, and Robin Wright.
