Humberto López y Guerra
Encyclopedia
Humberto Lopez y Guerra was born in Matanzas
, Cuba
, in 1945. He began his film career 1960 producing and directing a series of documentary films for the Cuban Institute of Art and Cinema, ICAIC
. In 1963 he was given through election a scholarship to study film directing at the Cinema Superior School at Babelsberg Berlin, Germany. After graduating from Babelsberg's he returned to Cuba where he directed his film "Juventud 67", (Youth, 67). However, he went back to Europe in 1968 and he moved to Sweden.
In 1976 he directed his film "Federico Garcia Lorca
: Death in Granada" produced by the Swedish Television. In October 1980 the New York Times described the transmission of the film by Spanish Television in June that same year as attracting "one of the largest audiences in the history of Spanish Television. In 1978 he directed two documentaries titled "Spain two years after Franco", produced for Swedish Television. In 1979 he directed "Arrabal", a documentary about the Spanish writer Fernando Arrabal
. In 1981 this film represented Sweden in the international television festival Prix Italia
. In 1980 he directed for Swedish Television his film "Det Langa Straffet" (The Sentence), about Huber Matos
. The Sentence represented Sweden in Emmy Award
s in New York in 1981. In 1987 he wrote and directed "Ondskans år" a TV film in three parts about Nazism in Sweden during the second world war. The film was very successful in Sweden. In 1989 received Nordvision award for best television series of the Nordic countries. In 1989 he wrote and directed "Castro's Cuba", TV series in three parts, which was exhibited in the United States, Latin America and Australia. The most complete TV series on Cuba that was done in those years.
and represented Sweden at the International Film Festival in Lille
, France in that same year. It was shown at the Festival dei Populi at Florence
, Italy in 1978 and in Barcelona
the same year. In October 1980 the New York Times described the transmission of the film by Spanish Television in June that same year as attracting "one of the largest audiences in the history of Spanish Television".
Matanzas
Matanzas is the capital of the Cuban province of Matanzas. It is famed for its poets, culture, and Afro-Cuban folklore.It is located on the northern shore of the island of Cuba, on the Bay of Matanzas , east of the capital Havana and west of the resort town of Varadero.Matanzas is called the...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, in 1945. He began his film career 1960 producing and directing a series of documentary films for the Cuban Institute of Art and Cinema, ICAIC
Cinema of Cuba
Cinema arrived in Cuba at the beginning of the 20th century. Before the Cuban Revolution of 1959, about 80 full-length films were produced in Cuba. Most of these films were melodramas...
. In 1963 he was given through election a scholarship to study film directing at the Cinema Superior School at Babelsberg Berlin, Germany. After graduating from Babelsberg's he returned to Cuba where he directed his film "Juventud 67", (Youth, 67). However, he went back to Europe in 1968 and he moved to Sweden.
In 1976 he directed his film "Federico Garcia Lorca
Federico García Lorca
Federico del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús García Lorca was a Spanish poet, dramatist and theatre director. García Lorca achieved international recognition as an emblematic member of the Generation of '27. He is believed to be one of thousands who were summarily shot by anti-communist death squads...
: Death in Granada" produced by the Swedish Television. In October 1980 the New York Times described the transmission of the film by Spanish Television in June that same year as attracting "one of the largest audiences in the history of Spanish Television. In 1978 he directed two documentaries titled "Spain two years after Franco", produced for Swedish Television. In 1979 he directed "Arrabal", a documentary about the Spanish writer Fernando Arrabal
Fernando Arrabal
Fernando Arrabal Terán is a Spanish playwright, screenwriter, film director, novelist and poet. He settled in France in 1955, he describes himself as “desterrado,” or “half-expatriate, half-exiled.”...
. In 1981 this film represented Sweden in the international television festival Prix Italia
Prix Italia
The Prix Italia is an international Italian television, radio-broadcasting and Website award. It was established in 1948 by RAI - Radiotelevisione Italiana in Capri...
. In 1980 he directed for Swedish Television his film "Det Langa Straffet" (The Sentence), about Huber Matos
Huber Matos
Huber Matos Benítez was a Cuban revolutionary who assisted Fidel Castro, Che Guevara and members of the 26th of July Movement in successfully overthrowing the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista as part of the Cuban Revolution....
. The Sentence represented Sweden in Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
s in New York in 1981. In 1987 he wrote and directed "Ondskans år" a TV film in three parts about Nazism in Sweden during the second world war. The film was very successful in Sweden. In 1989 received Nordvision award for best television series of the Nordic countries. In 1989 he wrote and directed "Castro's Cuba", TV series in three parts, which was exhibited in the United States, Latin America and Australia. The most complete TV series on Cuba that was done in those years.
Filmography
- He began his film career 1960 producing and directing a series of documentary films for the Cuban Institute of Art and Cinema, ICAIC.
- 1963 he was given through election a scholarship to study film directing at the Cinema Superior School at Babelsberg Berlin, Germany. While studying there he directed the short fiction film "Carlos". During his last year at school he concentrated on drama courses at the Berlin Ensemble.
- After graduating from Babelsberg’s Film School he returned to Cuba where he director his film Juventud 67,(Youth, 67).The film was banned by the Film Censorship in Cuba.
- 1969 he made his first film in Sweden "Choose your Hero", produced by Indra Film (Stockholm)and represent Sweden in the same year at the film festival in PesaroPesaroPesaro is a town and comune in the Italian region of the Marche, capital of the Pesaro e Urbino province, on the Adriatic. According to the 2007 census, its population was 92,206....
, Italy. Experimental film on the different problems of the Swedish youth.
- 1973, he was photography in the film Rene Char produced by the Swedish Film InstituteSwedish Film InstituteThe Swedish Film Institute was founded in 1963 to support and develop the Swedish film industry. The institute is housed in the Filmhuset building located in Gärdet, Östermalm in Stockholm...
(SFI).
- 1976 he directed his film "Federico García Lorca: A Murder in Granada" produced by the Swedish Television. The film was shown in the United States by Channel 13 of New York in 1977
and represented Sweden at the International Film Festival in Lille
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
, France in that same year. It was shown at the Festival dei Populi at Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, Italy in 1978 and in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
the same year. In October 1980 the New York Times described the transmission of the film by Spanish Television in June that same year as attracting "one of the largest audiences in the history of Spanish Television".
- 1977he directed a documentary about the Spanish Literature Nobel Price Winner Vicente AleixandreVicente AleixandreVicente Pío Marcelino Cirilo Aleixandre y Merlo was a Spanish poet who was born in Seville. Aleixandre was a Nobel Prize laureate for Literature in 1977. He was part of the Generation of '27. He died in Madrid in 1984....
produced for Swedish Television.
- 1978 he directed two documentaries titled Spain two years after Franco produced for Swedish Television.
- 1979 he directed "Arrabal", a documentary about the Spanish writer Fernando ArrabalFernando ArrabalFernando Arrabal Terán is a Spanish playwright, screenwriter, film director, novelist and poet. He settled in France in 1955, he describes himself as “desterrado,” or “half-expatriate, half-exiled.”...
. In 1981 this film represented Sweden in the international television festival Prix ItaliaPrix ItaliaThe Prix Italia is an international Italian television, radio-broadcasting and Website award. It was established in 1948 by RAI - Radiotelevisione Italiana in Capri...
.
- 1980 he directed for Swedish Television his film "Det Långa Straffet" (The Sentence) about Huber MatosHuber MatosHuber Matos Benítez was a Cuban revolutionary who assisted Fidel Castro, Che Guevara and members of the 26th of July Movement in successfully overthrowing the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista as part of the Cuban Revolution....
. The Sentence represent Sweden in Emmy AwardEmmy AwardAn Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
in New York in 1981.
- 1987 he wrote and directed "Ondskans år", (The Evil Years) a TV Film in tree parts about the NazismNazismNazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
in SwedenSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
during the Second World War. The film had a great success in Sweden and the Nordic Countries. In 1989 received Nordvision award for best television series of the Nordic countries.
- 1987 he directed the (mini) TV series Vinnaren (Swedish Television)
- 1987 he directed the (mini) TV series Daghemmet Lyckan (Swedish Television)
- 1989 he directed the (mini) TV series Castro's Cuba.Castro´s Cuba Prod. Vega Film (Stockholm)