He was born in Hernani (province of Guipúzcoa) in 1934. His more than fifty films as producer have made him one of the biggest contributors to the renewal of the Spanish cinema. In the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s he produced films for outstanding directors such as Carlos Saura, Víctor Erice, Francisco Regueiro and Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón. His collaborative work has given rise to many of the masterpieces of Spanish cinema. Among them are “La caza” (The Hunt), “El espíritu de la colmena” (The Spirit of the Beehive) and “Deprisa, deprisa” (Fast, Fast). Many of these films received awards at prestigious international festivals. In recent decades he has supported new filmmakers such as Fernando León de Aranoa, and his own daughter Gracia Querejeta. He has also had a long career as a screenwriter. He died in Madrid, in 2013.
Awards
National Film Award
Gold Medal for Fine Arts (2001)
Madrid Region Culture Award (2003)