Gabriela Samper facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gabriela Samper
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| Born |
Gabriela Samper García
31 March 1918 Bogotá, Colombia
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| Died | 16 May 1974 (aged 56) Bogotá, Colombia
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| Nationality | Colombian |
| Occupation | educator, theater producer, filmmaker |
| Years active | 1941–1974 |
Gabriela Samper (born March 31, 1918 – died May 16, 1974) was a talented Colombian teacher, puppet theater creator, and documentary filmmaker. She was one of the first women to make documentary films in Colombia. People remember her for her films that showed the many different cultures of Colombia.
Her work won many awards. Some of her films are kept in the Latin American Film Archive at the MOMA in New York City.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Gabriela Samper García was born in Bogotá, Colombia, on March 31, 1918. Her parents were Saturia García Alvarez and Pedro Miguel Samper. Her father was a lawyer from Madrid, Spain.
Gabriela came from a wealthy family. She was taught at home by her mother and grandmother, who were both trained teachers. She also had lessons from her Irish governess, Elizabeth Birmingham.
In 1928, Gabriela started school at the Gimnasio Femenino (Women's Gymnasium) in Bogotá. She finished school there in 1936. After graduating, she traveled around Europe.
Later, she went to Columbia University in New York City. There, she studied English literature and took dance classes. She also studied dance at the Bodenwiser Academy. She lived for a while in Trinidad before returning to Colombia. Back home, she studied philosophy and literature at the National University of Colombia.
Career as a Teacher and Artist
In 1941, Gabriela Samper became a professor. She married Ulric de Verteuil. She started teaching dance, English, and history at the Universidad de los Andes and the Free University of Colombia.
During a period of conflict in Colombia (1948-1958), Gabriela was active in groups that wanted peace. In 1958, she joined a theater group called Grupo del Búho. She helped produce plays at several theaters, including "La Media Torta" and the Teatro Colón.
She directed shows at the Teatro El Burrito in 1960. Three years later, she became the director of the Cultural Theater of the National Park. In her early career, Gabriela Samper was very involved in children's theater and puppetry. This is what many people in Colombia remember her for. She also made television shows and worked on dance and literary projects.
Making Films
In 1963, Gabriela Samper started making films. With her third husband, Ray Witlin, she started a film company called Cinta Limited. They made documentaries and commercials in Colombia and the United States.
In 1965, Gabriela wrote and directed her first artistic film, El páramo de Cumanday (The Heights of Cumanday). This 22-minute film told a Colombian legend. It was filmed in the high Andes mountains. The film showed the fears and challenges of muleteers as they faced nature. El páramo de Cumanday won third prize at the 1965 Festival of Puerto Rico.
Gabriela's documentary short films often focused on the many different cultures in Colombia. Her film Historia de muchos años (History of Many Years, 1965) won the Catalina de Oro award. Her film Qué es Intercol (What is Intercol, 1965) won a Gold Mention at the VII Festival of Cartagena. In 1967, she made two films in the United States: Una máscara para ti, una máscara para mí (A Mask for You, a Mask for Me) and Ciudades en crisis ¿qué pasa? (Cities in Crisis, What’s Happening?).
Returning to Colombia in 1969, Gabriela Samper produced three more films:
- Festival folclórico de Fomenque (Fomenque Folk Festival)
- Los santísimos hermanos (The Brotherhood of the Most Holy)
- El hombre de la sal (The Salt Maker)
Los santísimos hermanos is about a religious group that sought peace in the mountains. This film is kept in the Museum of Modern Art's Latin American Film Archive in Manhattan. El hombre de la sal explored the challenges faced by traditional artists when new technology arrived. This film won awards at the Festival de Valencia in Valencia, Venezuela and the Cruz de Málta at the First Latin American Film Festival in Córdoba, Argentina.
Death and Legacy
Gabriela Samper passed away on May 16, 1974, in Bogotá, after being diagnosed with cancer.
She is remembered as one of the first women to produce films in Colombia. Her documentary films inspired other filmmakers like Marta Rodríguez, Jorge Silva, and Gloria Triana. These filmmakers also made movies about less visible groups of people in Colombia and documented their cultural traditions.
After her death, a collection of her short stories called La Guandoca was published. These stories shared her experiences. In 2009, the National Library held a special film showing of works by Gabriela and her daughter Mady, who is also a filmmaker. In 2014, a play based on La Guandoca was performed at the Pequeño Teatro.
See also
In Spanish: Gabriela Samper para niños
