Gerardo Herrero

Gerardo Herrero was born in Madrid on January 28, 1953. Graduated in Law from the Complutense University of Madrid, one of his great passions was cinema –in 1980 he shot the short film Fotogramas salvajes– , and in 1987 he founded the production company with Javier López Blanco Tornasol, whose tintinous name gives an idea of ​​the company’s adventurous intentions. That same year he had directed his first feature, Lurking, of little impact, and from whose experience perhaps he drew the conclusion that if he were a producer, he could control his own projects, and support those of others while respecting the creativity of the filmmakers, provided that he thought they had some interest. So he began to support filmmakers on the other side of the Atlantic, his first production was En la boca del lobo (1988), by Peruvian Francisco J. Lombardi , whom he supported two years later in Caídos del cielo .

The list of names of directors from different Ibero-American countries that he produces is extensive: the Cubans Tomás Gutiérrez Alea and Juan Carlos Tabío – Guantanamera (1990)–, the Argentines Adolfo Aristarain – Martín (Hache) (1997), Common Places ( 2002)–, Fabián Beliensky – El aura (2005)–, Marcelo Piñeyro – Burnt silver (2002), The method (2005)– and Juan Antonio Campanella – The son of the bride (2001), Luna de Avellaneda (2004), The secret in their eyes (2009), Oscar for best foreign film–, the MexicanArturo Ripstein – There is no one to write to the colonel (1999)–, the Chilean Andrés Wood – Machuca (2005)–… Nor has he forgotten to support European filmmakers, especially Ken Loach – Tierra y libertad (1995) , Carla’s Song (1996), Happy Sixteen (2002), but also Eric Rohmer – Triple Agent (2004) – and Alain Tanner – The Man Who Lost His Shadow (1991), Lady M.’s Diary (1993) –.

Given such a diversified task in the field of production, with non-Spanish filmmakers, no one can be surprised that he has also been a prophet in his land, being behind many films by promising national directors, many times when they were taking their first steps. This is how he collaborates with Daniel Monzón – Desvío al paraíso (1994), directed by Herrero himself, El corazón del guerrero (2000)–, Mariano Barroso – Éxtasis (1996)–, Salvador García Ruiz – Mensaka (1998)–, Cesc Gay – Kamprack (2000), In the city (2003)–, Patricia Ferreira–I know who you are (2000), The Impatient Alchemist (2002)–, in addition to more seasoned directors such as Bigas Luna – The Titanic Chambermaid (1997)–, Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón – Things I Left in Havana (1997)–, Enrique Urbizu – La vida mancha (2003)–, Álex de la Iglesia – The Oxford Murders (2008), Sad Trumpet Ballad (2010)– and Felipe Vega – Women in the Park (2006)–

Something that is noticeable in his filmography is that Herrero likes to find literary sources for his films and that he works comfortably with women, novelists or screenwriters. So there we have Almudena Grandes ( Malena is a tango name , The difficult airs ), Ángeles González Sinde ( The Galíndez mystery , Heroína , The difficult airs , Mentiras y gordas , The reasons of my friends ) and Belén Gopegui ( The Archimedes’ principle , The reasons of my friends , An invisible woman ) to prove it.

As a director, it must be recognized that Gerardo Herrero is nothing short of correct, he is a good craftsman in the best of cases, where his generational looks at immature young people who have not quite settled down stand out – Las razons de mis amigos (2000), El Archimedes’ Principle (2004)–, his portrait of a mother with a heroin drug-addicted son (2005), and the thriller shot largely in English The Galíndez Mystery (2003).

What is clear is that Herrero has known how to move when it comes to raising money for his projects, either by obtaining financing from banks, or by resorting to official aid of which he is a firm supporter, maintaining that they exist in all countries, including the United States. “People don’t know it but some movies that apparently have done very well are in deficit. National movies that earn money are four or six a year. The result is a shaky industry, producers who come and go, directors with intermittent careers. The Spanish film financing system is very poorly set up. ”, He explained in 2010 in an interview in El Cultural, where he expressed his support for the new Film Law in Spain. His office work includes his presidency between 1993 and 1994 of the Spanish Film Academy, and his presidency between 1997 and 1999 of the Federation of Associations of Spanish Audiovisual Producers (FAPAE). In addition, until 2001 he held the position of Secretary General of the Ibero-American Federation of Film and Audiovisual Producers (FIPCA).