Cuerda, José Luis

(1947- )

   José Luis Cuerda was born in Albacete and studied law before settling on an arts career. From 1969, he worked for Spanish Television as news producer, scriptwriter, and, eventually, director. His first big-screen effort was Pares y nones (Even and Odd, 1991). The film that earned him critics and audiences' attention was El bosque animado (The Animated Forest, 1987), an ensemble piece set in the woods that added to traditional rural narratives an element of fantasy. It featured an engaging performance by Alfredo Landa (as a bandit) and was scripted by Rafael Azcona. In 1989, he directed the film that best represents his personal contribution to Spanish cinema: Amanece que no es poco (It's Dawn, and That Should Be Enough), a story set in an imaginary village with whimsical, surrealistic elements. The film, however, did not make an impact at the box office. Next came La marrana (The Sowie, 1992), a more conventional film and Cuerda's personal take on the celebrations of the Columbus 1492 expeditions featuring a couple of Spanish tricksters who roam the country at the end of the 15th century. Así en el cielo como en la tierra (In Heaven as in Earth, 1995) was another fantasy along the lines of Amanece que no es poco, this time set in a village representing "heaven."

   The impressionistic, slow-burning La lengua de las mariposas (Butterfly's Tongue, 1999) is Cuerda's most critically praised film so far, and also his most heartfelt. Co-written with Azcona, it tells the story of a young boy influenced by a liberal teacher on the eve of the Spanish Civil War. The director returned to his beloved rural setting and displayed an understanding of a child's uncomprehending perspective. La educación de las hadas (The Education of Fairies, 2006), which used similar themes, had less impact on critics and audiences. The postwar was the background to the Azcona-scripted Los girasoles ciegos (The Blind Sunflowers, 2008), about a priest's passion for the wife of a Republican intellectual, which was very well received.

   Besides his credits as writer and director, Cuerda was the first professional to encourage and support young Alejandro Amenábar. He has a cameo on Amenábar's Tesis (Dissertation, 1996), a film he produced. He also worked as producer of Amenábar's next two films: Abre los ojos (Open Your Eyes, 1997) and Los otros / The Others (2001).

   Historical Dictionary of Spanish Cinema by Alberto Mira