Juan Carlos Tabío
Encyclopedia
Juan Carlos Tabío is a Cuban film director
and screenwriter
. His film Strawberry and Chocolate
(1994), which he co-directed with Tomás Gutiérrez Alea
, won a Silver Bear - Special Jury Prize
at the 44th Berlin International Film Festival
, and was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
. He has collaborated with director and close friend Tomás Gutiérrez Alea
and actors Jorge Perugorría
, Vladimir Cruz
and Mirta Ibarra in several films.
His 2000 film, Lista de Espera, was screened in the Un Certain Regard
section at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival
.
Juan Carlos Tabío began working in 1961 at the ICAIC (Cuban Institute of Art and Cinematographic Industry) as a production assistant, then as assistant director.
Between 1963 and 1980, he has produced more than 30 documentaries. His first feature film (Se Swap) was released in 1983. Tabío then taught screenwriting and filmmaking at the International School of Film and Television of San Antonio de los Baños between 1989 and 1990.
Tabío’s films are mostly comedies starring the people and places in Cuba. Using Cuba as an actor in and of itself allows him to both highlight the joys of the Cuban culture while also create a running social commentary on its flaws.
Juan Carlos Tabío was rewarded for his work on several occasions and received the Goya Awards
including Best Foreign Language Film for Fresa y Chocolate (Strawberry and Chocolate).
In 2000 he directed The Waiting List, which tells the humorous story of a group of passengers waiting for a bus that will never appear. The use of humor and realistic dialogue takes the edge off of Tabío’s social commentary and illustration of the problems Cuba faces.
More recently, Juan Carlos Tabío demonstrated once again his penchant for the satirical comedy with the release of his latest feature film, The Cornucopia.
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
and screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
. His film Strawberry and Chocolate
Strawberry and Chocolate
Strawberry and Chocolate is a Cuban-Spanish-Mexican co-produced film, directed by Tomás Gutiérrez Alea and Juan Carlos Tabío, based on the short story "The Wolf, The Forest and the New Man" written by Senel Paz in 1990. Senel Paz also wrote the screenplay for the film.- Plot :The story takes...
(1994), which he co-directed with Tomás Gutiérrez Alea
Tomás Gutiérrez Alea
Tomás Gutiérrez Alea was a Cuban filmmaker. He wrote and directed more than 20 features, documentaries, and short films, which are known for his sharp insight into post-Revolutionary Cuba, and possess a delicate balance between dedication to the revolution and criticism of the social, economic,...
, won a Silver Bear - Special Jury Prize
Jury Grand Prix
The Jury Grand Prix is a Silver Bear award given by the jury at the Berlin International Film Festival to one of the feature films in competition...
at the 44th Berlin International Film Festival
44th Berlin International Film Festival
The 44th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from February 10 to 21, 1994.-Jury:* Jeremy Thomas * Chinghiz Aitmatov* María Luisa Bemberg* Hsu Feng* Morgan Freeman* Francis Girod* Corinna Harfouch* Carlo Lizzani...
, and was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
The Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film is one of the Academy Awards of Merit, popularly known as the Oscars, handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
. He has collaborated with director and close friend Tomás Gutiérrez Alea
Tomás Gutiérrez Alea
Tomás Gutiérrez Alea was a Cuban filmmaker. He wrote and directed more than 20 features, documentaries, and short films, which are known for his sharp insight into post-Revolutionary Cuba, and possess a delicate balance between dedication to the revolution and criticism of the social, economic,...
and actors Jorge Perugorría
Jorge Perugorría
Jorge Perugorria was born on August 13, 1965 in Wajay, Havana. He is known as one of the most famous Cuban actors since his part as Diego in Strawberry and Chocolate Jorge Perugorria (aka Pichi) was born on August 13, 1965 in Wajay, Havana. He is known as one of the most famous Cuban actors since...
, Vladimir Cruz
Vladimir Cruz
Vladimir Cruz is a Cuban actor who has appeared in a number of feature films, television series, theatre works and shorts. He has also directed films and theatre works....
and Mirta Ibarra in several films.
His 2000 film, Lista de Espera, was screened in the Un Certain Regard
Un Certain Regard
Un Certain Regard is a section of the Cannes Film Festival's Official Selection. It is run at the Salle Debussy, parallel to the competition for the Palme d'Or.This section was introduced in 1978 by Gilles Jacob...
section at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival
2000 Cannes Film Festival
The 2000 Cannes Film Festival started on May 14 and ran until May 25. The Palme d'Or went to the Danish film Dancer in the Dark by Lars von Trier.-Jury:* Luc Besson, President * Jonathan Demme * Nicole Garcia...
.
Biography
Juan Carlos Tabío was born in 1942 in Havana, Cuba. Although his illustrious filmmaking career has spanned nearly 3 decades, his initial involvement in the genre came as an accident. When he was young, his parents prepared him for a career in politics. It was not until a family friend who worked for the national cinemagraphic society invited him to work on a film that Tabío gave filmmaking a thought as a career.Juan Carlos Tabío began working in 1961 at the ICAIC (Cuban Institute of Art and Cinematographic Industry) as a production assistant, then as assistant director.
Between 1963 and 1980, he has produced more than 30 documentaries. His first feature film (Se Swap) was released in 1983. Tabío then taught screenwriting and filmmaking at the International School of Film and Television of San Antonio de los Baños between 1989 and 1990.
Tabío’s films are mostly comedies starring the people and places in Cuba. Using Cuba as an actor in and of itself allows him to both highlight the joys of the Cuban culture while also create a running social commentary on its flaws.
Juan Carlos Tabío was rewarded for his work on several occasions and received the Goya Awards
Goya Awards
The Goya Awards, known in Spanish as los Premios Goya, are Spain's main national film awards, considered by many in Spain, and internationally, to be the Spanish equivalent of the American Academy Awards....
including Best Foreign Language Film for Fresa y Chocolate (Strawberry and Chocolate).
In 2000 he directed The Waiting List, which tells the humorous story of a group of passengers waiting for a bus that will never appear. The use of humor and realistic dialogue takes the edge off of Tabío’s social commentary and illustration of the problems Cuba faces.
More recently, Juan Carlos Tabío demonstrated once again his penchant for the satirical comedy with the release of his latest feature film, The Cornucopia.
Films
- 2008 El Cuerno de la Abundancia
- 2003 Aunque estés lejos
- 2000 Lista de Espera (Waiting List)
- 1998 Enredando sombras (documentary)
- 1998 Lorca en La Habana (TV short)
- 1995 GuantanameraGuantanamera"Guantanamera" is perhaps the best known Cuban song and that country's most noted patriotic song.-Music:The music for the song is sometimes attributed to José Fernández Diaz, known as Joseíto Fernández, who claimed to have written it at various dates , and who used it regularly in one of his radio...
- 1994 El elefante y la bicicleta
- 1993 Fresa y Chocolate (Strawberry and Chocolate)
- 1988 Demasiado miedo a la vida o Plaff
- 1987 La entrevista (short)
- 1986 Dolly back (short)
- 1984 Se permuta
- 1975 Sonia Silvestre (short)
- 1974 Chicho Ibáñez (documentary short)
- 1974 Soledad Bravo (documentary short)
- 1973 Miriam Makeba (short)