Fina Torres facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fina Torres
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | October 9, 1951 |
| Nationality | Venezuelan |
| Occupation | Film director, screenwriter |
|
Notable work
|
Oriana, Woman on Top |
Fina Torres (born Josefina Torres Benedetti on October 9, 1951) is a talented film director and screenwriter from Venezuela. She became famous around the world after winning a special award called the Caméra d'Or (Golden Camera) at the 1985 Cannes Film Festival. She won this award for her very first movie, Oriana.
Fina Torres is well-known for her films like Oriana, Celestial Clockwork, and Woman on Top. The movie Woman on Top starred the famous actress Penelope Cruz. Fina Torres lives in Venezuela today.
Contents
About Fina Torres's Life
Fina Torres was born in a city called Caracas in Venezuela. When she was younger, she studied many creative things like design, photography, and journalism. By the time she was 17, she was already working as a photojournalist, taking pictures for news stories.
In 1970, she went to the Neumann Institute for Design to study graphic design. She also took classes in social communication at Andrés Bello Catholic University. In 1974, Fina moved to Paris, France. There, she earned a special degree in filmmaking, learning about directing and editing movies. She spent the next 28 years of her life working in the film industry while living in Paris. After that, she lived in the United States, Mexico, and Singapore before returning to her home country, Venezuela.
Fina Torres's Film Career
While Fina Torres lived in France, she gained lots of experience in filmmaking. She worked as a photographer, operated cameras, edited films, and supervised film scripts.
In 1983, she wrote a movie script with Antoine Lacomblez. She was able to get money to make the film from both Venezuela and France. This led to her first movie, Oriana. This film won the Caméra d'Or award at the important Cannes Film Festival. A film critic from The New York Times called it a "gothic romance," which means it had a mysterious and romantic feel.
In 1996, Fina Torres's second movie, Celestial Clockwork, was shown at big film events like the Toronto International Film Festival and Sundance Film Festival.
In 2000, Torres directed Woman on Top, which was made by Fox Searchlight. This movie starred Penélope Cruz. A critic from Variety magazine said the film was "a fantastical romp" with "exotic locations" and "spicy cooking demonstrations." They also said it was a "contempo fairy tale about thwarted romance."
In 2010, Fina Torres won the award for best feature film at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival for her movie Habana Eva. This film also won the award for Best Venezuelan Film at the Margarita Film Festival in Venezuela.
In 2011, she helped write a romantic comedy called From Prada to Nada. This movie was based on a classic book by Jane Austen called Sense and Sensibility. In 2014, she directed Liz in September. This film was an adaptation of an American play.
Fina Torres is a member of important groups for writers and directors, like the Writers Guild of America in the US and the Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques (SACD) in France.
Making a Difference Through Film
In the 1990s, Fina Torres was seen as part of a new trend in Latin American movies. Instead of focusing only on political topics, these films explored everyday themes like relationships and how old traditions meet new ideas. Fina Torres's movies often feature strong female characters. These characters are brave and challenge old-fashioned ideas about how women should act.
In an interview in 2015, Fina Torres shared that she wanted her film Liz in September to help young people. The movie was based on a play known for telling stories about diverse characters and their experiences. The film focuses on themes of acceptance and understanding, and it stars Venezuelan actress and model Patricia Velásquez.
Awards and Recognition
Fina Torres has won many awards for her amazing films:
- For the film Oriana:
- May 1985: Caméra d'Or (Golden Camera) at the Cannes Festival
- 1985: Bronze Hugo at the Chicago International Film Festival
- 1985: Catalina de Oro (Golden Catalina) for best film at the Cartagena International Film Festival
- 1985: Catalina de Oro (Golden Catalina) for best script at the Cartagena International Film Festival
- Glauber Rocha's award for Best Spanish language film
- August 1985: Revista Mujeres' award
- Honour Mention from the Catholic Office
- 1985: Honour Mention from the Jury at the MANHEIM Film Festival
- 1986: National Awards (premios municipales de Caracas) for best film, best director, best photography, best actress
- Ateneo de Caracas award
- For the film Celestial Clockwork:
- 1995: Prix du public (Audience Award) at the Namur Film Festival
- 1996: Grand Jury Award for outstanding narrative feature at Outfest Los Angeles Festival
- 1996: Anac National Award for best Venezuelan film
- 1996: Special award at the Washington Film Festival
- For the film Woman On Top:
- 2000: Official selection at the Cannes Film Festival
- 2001: Nominated for best director at the Alma Awards
- For the film Habana Eva:
- 2010: Best film at the New York International Latino Film Fest
- 2010: 2nd audience award at the Los Angeles International Latino Film Fest
- 2010: Best film audience award at the Amazonia International Film Fest (Brazil)
- 2010: Best film at the International Latino Margarita Film Fest
- 2010: Best supporting actress at the Mérida International Film Fest
- 2010: Best actress at the Cines Unidos Award
- 2011: Mesquite award for best film at the San Antonio Film Fest
- Best actress at the Prakriti Maduro Punta Del Este Film Fest (Uruguay)
- For the film Liz in September:
- Audience Award for best women's feature at Atlanta's Out On Film LGBT Film Festival
- Audience Award for best feature at the SouthWest Gay and Lesbian Film Festival
- 2015: Best feature at Atlanta's Out On Film
- 2015: Best women's feature at Festival Les Gais Cine Mad (España)
- 2015: Audience Award at the Festival Sant Andreu de la Barca
- 2015: Best Foreign Film at the Out Film CT: Connecticut Gay & Lesbian Film Festival
- Best Feature Audience Award at the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival
Movies Directed by Fina Torres
Here are some of the movies Fina Torres has directed:
- Oriana (1985)
- Celestial Clockwork (1996)
- Woman on Top (2000)
- Habana Eva (2008)
- Liz in September (2014)
See also
In Spanish: Fina Torres para niños
- List of female film and television directors
- List of LGBT-related films directed by women
